AN ACT to create and enact a new subsection to section 54-24-03 and a new subsection to section 54-24.2-01 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to disbursement of surplus library materials and the eligibility of public libraries to receive financial aid.
Summary
SB 2219 makes two targeted changes to North Dakota law governing public libraries. First, it adds a requirement that surplus library materials be disbursed to libraries throughout the state, rather than being handled in a more limited or unspecified way. Second, it adds a new eligibility condition for public libraries seeking state financial aid: they must complete and submit the annual report required under existing law for the previous calendar year.
The bill amends sections 54-24-03 and 54-24.2-01 of the North Dakota Century Code, both within the state’s library governance framework. In practical terms, the measure ties access to library aid to compliance with annual reporting requirements and promotes broader redistribution of surplus materials among libraries statewide. It does not create a new program or funding source, but it does affect how libraries qualify for aid and how library resources are shared.
The overall sentiment around the bill appears strongly favorable and noncontroversial. It passed the Senate 46-0 and the House 91-1, indicating broad bipartisan support and little visible opposition in floor votes. No committee transcript was provided, so there is no recorded debate to suggest significant disagreement.
The main point of potential contention is the reporting requirement as a condition of financial aid, which could be viewed as an administrative burden for some public libraries, especially smaller systems with limited staff. Another possible issue is the statewide disbursement mandate for surplus materials, which may require coordination among libraries, but the overwhelming vote totals suggest these concerns were minimal or resolved without dispute.
Impact
SB 2219 changes North Dakota library law by adding a statewide surplus-materials distribution requirement and by making timely submission of the annual library report a condition for receiving public library financial aid. These changes affect public libraries and the state library aid system, particularly the eligibility standards administered under chapters 54-24 and 54-24.2 of the Century Code.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have enjoyed broad, bipartisan support and was not controversial in the recorded votes. It passed the Senate unanimously and the House with only one dissenting vote, suggesting general agreement that the changes were modest and beneficial to library administration.
Contention
The only plausible areas of contention are administrative: some libraries may view the annual reporting requirement as an added compliance hurdle tied to aid, and the surplus-materials provision may require more coordination in distributing materials across the state. However, the near-unanimous votes indicate that any objections were limited and did not generate significant opposition.