2023 -- S 0540

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO LIBRARIES -- HISTORICAL SOCIETY LIBRARIES

     Introduced By: Senators Mack, Britto, Acosta, McKenney, Tikoian, Gu, Euer, Kallman,
Lauria, and Bell

     Date Introduced: March 07, 2023

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Chapter 29-2 of the General Laws entitled "Historical Society Libraries" is

hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

     29-2-2.1. Appropriations for Rhode Island Black Heritage Society.

     The general assembly shall annually appropriate such a sum as it may deem necessary, out

of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be expended by the state librarian for

the purpose of caring for, preserving, and cataloguing the property of the state in the keeping of the

Rhode Island Black Heritage Society, including such historical materials as may from time to time

be transferred to the society from the state library collections by the state librarian, and for the

purchase and binding of books relating to the history of the state, and for copying and preserving

the records of the several towns and cities of the state. The state librarian, with the approval of the

secretary of state, may pay this sum to the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society for this purpose.

     SECTION 2. Sections 29-2-4 and 29-2-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 29-2 entitled

"Historical Society Libraries" are hereby amended to read as follows:

     29-2-4. Use of historical society libraries.

     All books, periodicals, and papers in the keeping of the Rhode Island Historical Society,

the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society, and the Newport Historical Society, shall at all reasonable

times be open to the use of all the citizens of the state, under the same conditions pertaining to the

members of the society as long as funds are provided under §§ 29-2-1, 29-2-2, 29-2-2.1, and 29-2-

3.

     29-2-5. Reports on expenditures.

     (a) The Rhode Island Historical Society, the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society, and the

Newport Historical Society, respectively, shall place on file with the state librarian annual reports

as to the manner in which the funds are expended, as long as funds are appropriated in accordance

with §§ 29-2-1, 29-2-2, 29-2-2.1, and 29-2-3.

     (b) The Rhode Island Historical Society, the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society, and the

Newport Historical Society, respectively, shall submit to the general assembly and the state

librarian annually a plan for the preservation initiatives for the collections in its care. The report

shall be submitted as part of the annual report of each agency.

     (c) The Rhode Island Historical Society, the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society, and the

Newport Historical Society, respectively, shall submit to the state librarian a disaster preparedness

plan for the collection in its care on or before January 1, 1993. The plan will be maintained on file

at the state library and will be updated annually.

     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO LIBRARIES -- HISTORICAL SOCIETY LIBRARIES

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     This act would provide for an annual appropriation for the Rhode Island Black Heritage

Society, and would also provide that all books, periodicals, and papers of the Black Heritage

Society would at all reasonable times be open to the use of all citizens of the state.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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