The Florida Senate

257.17  Operating grants.--A political subdivision that has been designated by a county as the single library administrative unit is eligible to receive from the state an annual operating grant of not more than 25 percent of all local funds expended by that political subdivision during the second preceding fiscal year for the operation and maintenance of a library, under the following conditions:

(1)  Eligible political subdivisions include:

(a)  A county that establishes or maintains a library or that gives or receives free library service by contract with a municipality or nonprofit library corporation or association within such county;

(b)  A county that joins with one or more counties to establish or maintain a library or contracts with another county, a special district, a special tax district, or one or more municipalities in another county to receive free library service;

(c)  A special district or special tax district that establishes or maintains a library and provides free library service; or

(d)  A municipality with a population of 200,000 or more that establishes or maintains a library and gives free library service.

(2)  The library established or maintained by such political subdivision shall:

(a)  Be operated under a single administrative head and expend its funds centrally;

(b)  Have an operating budget of at least $20,000 per year from local sources; and

(c)  Give free library service to all residents of the county or residents of the special district or special tax district.

(3)  Any political subdivision establishing public library service for the first time shall submit a certified copy of its appropriation for library service, and its eligibility to receive an operating grant shall be based upon such appropriation.

(4)(a)  A municipality with a population of 200,000 or more that establishes or maintains a library is eligible to receive from the state an annual operating grant of not more than 25 percent of all local funds expended by that municipality during the second preceding fiscal year for the operation and maintenance of a library, under the following conditions:

1.  The municipal library is operated under a single administrative head and expends its funds centrally;

2.  The municipal library has an operating budget of at least $20,000 per year from local sources; and

3.  The municipal library provides free library service to all residents of the municipality.

(b)  This subsection is repealed on July 1, 2002.

History.--s. 5, ch. 61-402; s. 1, ch. 72-247; s. 3, ch. 72-353; s. 1, ch. 73-138; s. 3, ch. 83-24; s. 53, ch. 2000-171; s. 1, ch. 2001-263.