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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to state aid to public libraries; amending

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s. 257.172, F.S.; revising grant eligibility criteria for

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multicounty libraries; revising determination for and

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amount of base grants; amending s. 257.18, F.S.; revising

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eligibility criteria, calculation, and determination for

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equalization grants; limiting grants and grant amounts

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under specified conditions; amending s. 257.22, F.S.;

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removing a requirement for issuance of warrants to

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political subdivisions eligible for certain funding;

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providing an effective date.

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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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     Section 1.  Subsections (1) and (2) of section 257.172,

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Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

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     257.172  Multicounty library grants.--

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     (1)  The administrative unit of a multicounty library that

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serves a population of 50,000 or more and serves two, or has

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three or more counties, at least one of which qualifies for an

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equalization grant, is eligible for an annual grant from the

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state. The grant funds are to be used for the support and

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extension of library service in participating counties. The grant

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must be computed by the division on a state matching basis up to

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$1 million in local expenditures by all participating counties

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for operation and maintenance of a library during the second

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preceding year. The administrative unit of a multicounty library

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with:

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     (a)  Two participating counties is eligible for a grant

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equal to 5 cents on each local dollar of expenditure.

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     (b)  Three participating counties is eligible for a grant

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equal to 10 cents on each local dollar of expenditure.

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     (c)  Four participating counties is eligible for a grant

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equal to 15 cents on each local dollar of expenditure.

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     (d)  Five participating counties is eligible for a grant

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equal to 20 cents on each local dollar of expenditure.

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     (e)  Six or more participating counties is eligible for a

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grant equal to 25 cents on each local dollar of expenditure.

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     (2) In addition, to support multicounty library service,

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the administrative unit of a multicounty library with:

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     (a) Two participating counties is eligible to receive a

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base grant of $50,000, effective July 1, 2008.

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     (b) Three or more participating counties is eligible to

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receive a base grant of a minimum of $250,000. Such amount shall

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be increased to $350,000 when the appropriation from state funds

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for operating, multicounty, and equalization grants is at least 3

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percent more than the appropriation from state funds for those

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grants for fiscal year 2007-2008 to support multicounty library

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service. That amount may be adjusted by the division based on the

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percentage change in the state and local government price

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deflator for purchases of goods and services, all items, 1983

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equals 100, or successor reports for the preceding calendar year

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as initially reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the

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United States Department of Commerce, as certified by the Florida

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Consensus Estimating Conference.

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     Section 2.  Section 257.18, Florida Statutes, is amended to

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read:

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     257.18  Equalization grants.--

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     (1)  Any county qualifying for an operating grant is

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eligible to receive an equalization grant if it meets the

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following criteria:

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     (a) The county was eligible for an equalization grant in

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fiscal year 2007-2008.

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     (b) When The value of 1 mill adjusted to reflect the

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average statewide level of assessment is below the median amount

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for all counties in the state and the per capita local funds

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expended for library support during the second preceding year is

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below the average for all counties.

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     (c) The county operating millage subject to the 10-mill cap

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is equal to or above the average for all counties. If the county

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does not meet this millage requirement, the per capita income for

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the county must be equal to or below the average for all

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counties.

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     (d) The county has been eligible for an equalization grant

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each fiscal year since fiscal year 2007-2008.

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     (2) If a county fails to meet the eligibility criteria for

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an equalization grant in any one year, the county shall be

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notified that its equalization grant funding will be phased out

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over a 3-year period as follows:

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     (a) In the first year, the county shall receive the grant

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amount for which it qualified the previous year.

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     (b) In the second year, the county shall receive two-thirds

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of the grant amount it received under paragraph (a).

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     (c) In the third year, the county shall receive one-third

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of the grant amount it received under paragraph (a).

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     (d) In subsequent years, the county shall not be eligible

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to receive an equalization grant.

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     (3) An equalization grant to an eligible county is

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calculated in the following manner:

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     (a) The equalization factor is computed by subtracting the

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value of 1 mill adjusted to reflect the average statewide level

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of assessment for each county from the average adjusted value of

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1 mill for all counties and then dividing that amount by the

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average adjusted value of 1 mill for all counties.

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     (b) An equalization grant is computed by multiplying the

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equalization factor times the total local funds expended for

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library support by that county during the second preceding year

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and adding that amount to the actual total local funds expended

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for library support by that county during the second preceding

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year. The result is the adjusted value for the local funds

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expended for library service. The amount of the equalization

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grant is equal to 25 cents of the adjusted value of local funds

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expended for library service.

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     (c)(2) When the adjusted mill equivalent of actual local

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funds expended for library support by the county during the

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second preceding year is above the statewide average adjusted

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mill equivalent of actual local funds expended by all counties

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receiving operating grants, the amount of the equalization grant

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is equal to 50 cents of the adjusted value of local funds

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expended for library service.

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     (4) A county may not receive an equalization grant that is

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equal to more than 10 percent of the total amount required to

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fund equalization grants to all eligible counties.

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     (5)(3) The Division of Library and Information Services

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shall calculate equalization grants based on the amount of local

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funds expended for library service the second preceding year as

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certified by the appropriate county officials and information on

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the level of assessment of property in each county, and the

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taxable value of property in each county, the county operating

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millage subject to the 10-mill cap, and the per capita income as

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reported by the state agency authorized by law, which shall

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certify the results of such determination to the division.

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     (6)(4) For the purposes of this section and to protect

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those counties most dependent on equalization grants, the amount

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available to fund equalization grants shall remain frozen at the

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fiscal year 2007-2008 level of $8,877,057 until 15 percent of the

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total appropriation for operating, multicounty, and equalization

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grants equals the fiscal year 2007-2008 funding level.

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Thereafter, equalization grants may not exceed 15 percent of the

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amount appropriated for operating, multicounty, and equalization

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grants. If the total appropriation for operating, multicounty,

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and equalization grants is less than the fiscal year 2007-2008

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appropriation of $31,999,233, then s. 257.21 shall, s. 257.21

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does not apply.

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     Section 3.  Section 257.22, Florida Statutes, is amended to

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read:

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     257.22  Division of Library and Information Services;

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allocation of funds.--Any moneys that may be appropriated for use

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by a county, a municipality, a special district, or a special tax

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district for the maintenance of a library or library service

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shall be administered and allocated by the Division of Library

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and Information Services in the manner prescribed by law. On or

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before December 1 of each year, the division shall certify to the

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Chief Financial Officer the amount to be paid to each county,

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municipality, special district, or special tax district, and the

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Chief Financial Officer shall issue warrants to the eligible

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political subdivisions.

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     Section 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.