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AB-49 Public libraries: resources for youths.(2001-2002)

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AB49:v94#DOCUMENT

Passed  IN  Senate  September 13, 2001
Passed  IN  Assembly  September 14, 2001

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2001–2002 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 49

Introduced  by  Assembly Member Washington
 (Principal Coauthor(s): Assembly Member Corbett)
 (Coauthor(s): Assembly Member Alquist, Aroner, Calderon, Cardenas, Cardoza, Cedillo, Correa, Daucher, Diaz, Firebaugh, Florez, Harman, Havice, Horton, Jackson, Keeley, Longville, Lowenthal, Negrete Mcleod, Pavley, Salinas, Steinberg, Thomson, Wesson, Wiggins, Wright)
 (Coauthor(s): Senator Chesbro, Escutia, Figueroa, Karnette, Machado, McPherson, Murray, O'Connell, Ortiz, Perata, Polanco, Romero, Scott, Sher, Soto, Speier, Torlakson, Vasconcellos, Vincent)

December 04, 2000

An act to add Article 4.6 (commencing with Section 18736) to Chapter 4 of Part 11 of the Education Code, relating to library services, and making an appropriation therefor.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 49, Washington. Public libraries: resources for youths.
Existing law requires the State Librarian to employ a consultant to provide technical assistance to public libraries in the development and enhancement of library services to children and youth.
This bill would establish the Youth Mentoring and Safe Communities Grant Program and would require the State Librarian to award grants on a competitive basis to qualified public libraries, as specified, for the purposes of implementing the program in the public libraries. The bill would require an independent entity to evaluate the effectiveness of the program, and would require the State Librarian to submit the results of the evaluation to the Governor and specified committees of the Legislature by January 1, 2004.
The bill would appropriate $400,000 from the General Fund to the State Librarian for the purposes of the program.
Appropriation: YES  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 (a) The Legislature finds and declares the following:
(1) In April 2000, the Assembly Select Committee on Adolescence, chaired by then Assembly Member Susan Davis, published a report of policy recommendations to improve the lives of California’s teens. Among the recommendations was a very specific suggestion to provide more youth services through existing public libraries.
(2) The state’s youth during nonschool hours should have access to structured activities that support their educational activities and are conducive to personal and professional development.
(3) California’s adolescents currently have far too little access to nonschool hours programs.
(4) Crime statistics indicate that the incidence of criminal acts increases precipitously in the hours immediately following school recess.
(5) Most California adolescents return to empty homes after school.
(6) The prevention of juvenile crime is in every sense preferable to its punishment.
(7) Because of the special challenges of adolescence, it is appropriate that local communities, in concert with every level of government, provide youth 13 to 18 years of age with a web of support complementary to their formal education.
(8) California youth 13 to 18 years of age currently lack adequate opportunities to develop leadership skills and to engage in work-based learning.
(9) Youth 13 to 18 years of age require contact outside of school with caring adults who can serve as mentors and role models.
(10) It is in the interest of the people of California to provide youth with high-quality nonschool hours programs in safe, educational settings, and to fund these programs adequately.
(11) Public libraries have been established in virtually every California community to provide the setting and resources for lifelong learning, and are uniquely well positioned to provide high-quality nonschool hours services, that serve youth.
(12) The services provided by California’s 1,100 public libraries engender a sense of place, interdependence, and community.
(13) Closing the “digital divide,” providing academic assistance, learning life skills, uncovering life opportunities, and providing mentors and guidance for California’s youth is a high priority.
(14) All of the aforementioned challenges to youth and communities are particularly demanding in low-income areas.
(15) The aforementioned academic and life skills challenges to youth and communities are particularly demanding in low-performing schools.
(16) Most public libraries in California lack sufficient resources to provide high-quality nonschool hours services to youth.
(b) Therefore, the Legislature finds and declares that the 179 public library jurisdictions serving the people of California should have sufficient resources to ensure the supplemental services, extended service hours, and additional personnel necessary to promote, among youth 13 to 18 years of age, any or all of the following:
(1) Academic support and nonschool hours tutoring.
(2) The closing of the divide between those with access to advanced telecommunications and those without such access.
(3) Youth mentoring and educational peer matching at library sites and at other venues located with the assistance of the library.
(4) Violence prevention and conflict resolution.
(5) Any other approach determined by the public library jurisdiction to effectively promote healthy youth development and safe communities.

SEC. 2.

 Article 4.6 (commencing with Section 18736) is added to Chapter 4 of Part 11 of the Education Code, to read:
Article  4.6. Youth Mentoring and Safe Communities Grant Program

18736.
 For the purposes of this article, “youth” means a California resident 13 to 18 years of age, inclusive.

18737.
 The Youth Mentoring and Safe Communities Grant Program is hereby established. The State Librarian shall provide grants to public libraries for the purpose of providing youth with high-quality nonschool hours services that effectively promote healthy youth development and safe communities. The State Librarian may provide funds to an eligible public library for any two or more of the following youth services:
(a) Academic assistance and enrichment, including, but not limited to, homework centers with study rooms, study lounges and “living rooms,” poetry, and other creative writing programs, and performing and fine arts programs.
(b) Life skills programs, including, but not limited to, occupational and postsecondary education information, health information, conflict resolution and peer mediation, and financial information.
(c) Technology, including, but not limited to, word processors, computer terminals, electronic materials, geographic information systems and other data bases, and technical support and training.
(d) Youth mentoring and educational peer matching, including, but not limited to, the mentoring of youth by adults and the matching of young learners with other youth, at library sites and at other venues located with the assistance of the library.
(e) Any other purpose determined by the public library to effectively promote healthy youth development and safe communities.

18738.
 As a condition of receiving funds under this article, an eligible public library shall do all of the following:
(a) Certify, on a form and in a manner required by the State Librarian, that the funds will be used for the development and operation of a Youth Advisory Council, a majority of whose members shall be composed of youth residing in that jurisdiction. It shall be the responsibility of the council to shape, guide, and help operate the nonschool hours services pursuant to this article.
(b) Ensure that libraries are welcoming to youth by providing flexible scheduling of youth services rendered in appropriate settings.
(c) Deploy staff specially trained to work with youth.

18739.
 (a) For the purposes of this article, the State Librarian shall award grants to qualified public libraries. In addition to the certification required pursuant to subdivision (a) and the other criteria set forth in subdivisions (b) and (c), the State Librarian shall, to the extent possible, award grants evenly throughout the geographical regions of the state. Strong consideration shall be given to libraries in low-income areas and areas where there are low-performing schools. These grants shall be awarded on a competitive basis, in amounts ranging from thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) to eighty thousand dollars ($80,000), inclusive, over a two-year period, for the purpose of implementing the Youth Mentoring and Safe Communities Grant Program in public libraries. Grants awarded to these libraries pursuant to this section may be used for salaries of staff in these libraries. These grants shall supplement, not supplant, existing library services and funds.
(b) All grants awarded in the second year pursuant to this section shall be matched by the library, library jurisdiction, or nonpublic entity with one dollar ($1) for each four dollars ($4) awarded. The match shall be contributed in cash, services, or other resources, with a total value comparable to the required match.
(c) No more than 10 percent of the amount appropriated in a fiscal year for the purposes of the Youth Mentoring and Safe Communities Grant Program may be used by the State Librarian for state-level administration, including, but not limited to, functions required pursuant to Sections 18739.2 and 18739.4.

18739.4.
 The California State Library shall cause an evaluation of the effectiveness of the grants awarded under this article to be conducted by an independent entity. By January 1, 2004, the State Librarian shall submit the results of the evaluation to the Governor and to the fiscal, education, and local government committees of the Assembly and Senate.

SEC. 3.

 The sum of four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the State Librarian for the purposes of the Youth Mentoring and Safe Communities Grant Program established pursuant to Article 4.6 (commencing with Section 18736) of Chapter 4 of Part 11 of the Education Code.