Georgia Senate Bill SR487

Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/27/25
• Refer: 3/28/25

Caption

Ray City Community Library; membership in state-supported public library services; support

Summary

Senate Resolution 487 is a nonbinding resolution expressing the Georgia Senate’s support for the Ray City Community Library’s admission into the Coastal Plain Regional Library System so it can participate in state-supported public library services. The resolution states that the library has served the Ray City community for more than 20 years as a municipal library and that membership in the regional system is needed for access to Georgia Public Library Service resources. The resolution highlights several benefits that would come with membership, including interlibrary loan access, the PINES catalog, facilities planning assistance, professional development, and eligibility for state and federal funding opportunities. It also notes that Ray City is located in Berrien County, which is already part of the Coastal Plain Regional Library System, and urges the relevant library boards and the Board of Regents to approve the library’s full membership.

Impact

SR487 does not change Georgia law or create a new statutory requirement. Instead, it is a legislative expression of support aimed at influencing administrative and library-board decisions regarding the Ray City Community Library’s status within the Coastal Plain Regional Library System and its eligibility for Georgia Public Library Service support under existing law, including O.C.G.A. § 20-2-305.

Sentiment

The overall sentiment is strongly supportive and favorable. The resolution praises the library’s long-standing service, its volunteer support, and its role in preserving local heritage, while emphasizing the educational and community benefits of state-supported library membership. No votes or committee transcripts are provided, but the text itself reflects a clear consensus in favor of helping the library gain access to broader public library resources.

Contention

There is little explicit opposition in the resolution, but the practical point of contention is whether the Ray City Community Library should be granted full membership in the Coastal Plain Regional Library System. The resolution urges several entities—the Board of Regents, the Regents Public Library Advisory Committee, the Georgia State Library System, the Regional Library Board, and the Berrien County Library Board—to approve the facility, suggesting that the decision depends on administrative and regional library-system review rather than a statutory dispute.