New York S 5989: Relates to library cards for minors

Bill Text

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S05989 Summary:

BILL NOS05989A

&nbsp

SAME ASNo Same As

&nbsp

SPONSORBYNOE

&nbsp

COSPNSRMURRAY, ROLISON

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Amd §816, Ed L

&nbsp

Requires school districts to establish a method by which a parent may request a local library card for their minor child on the school registration form.

Go to top S05989 Actions:

BILL NOS05989A

&nbsp

03/04/2025REFERRED TO LIBRARIES

04/08/20251ST REPORT CAL.651

04/09/20252ND REPORT CAL.

04/10/2025ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 

05/28/2025AMENDED ON THIRD READING 5989A

06/05/2025PASSED SENATE

06/05/2025DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY

06/05/2025referred to libraries and education technology

01/07/2026died in assembly

01/07/2026returned to senate

01/07/2026REFERRED TO LIBRARIES

05/12/20261ST REPORT CAL.1011

05/13/20262ND REPORT CAL.

05/14/2026ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 

05/18/2026PASSED SENATE

05/18/2026DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY

05/18/2026referred to libraries and education technology

Go to topS05989 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS05989 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS05989 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 5989--A
 Cal. No. 651

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 March 4, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. BYNOE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Libraries -- reported
 favorably from said committee, ordered to first and second report,
 ordered to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining
 its place in the order of third reading

 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to library cards issued
 to minors

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. Section 816 of the education law, as added by chapter 247
 2 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
 3 § 816. Local library and school partnerships. 1. Legislative intent.
 4 In order to promote and encourage children to read and learn outside the
 5 classroom, this law seeks to encourage local libraries and schools to
 6 work together to promote the availability of library services and
 7 resources.
 8 2. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following terms
 9 shall be defined as follows:
 10 a. "School district" shall mean any public school district in the
 11 state of New York that contains one or more schools with any combination
 12 of grades from and including kindergarten through grade twelve.
 13 b. "Public library" shall mean any public or association library as
 14 defined in section two hundred fifty-three of this title.
 15 3. Upon the registration of a minor pursuant to section thirty-two
 16 hundred five of this chapter to attend full time kindergarten offered by
 17 a school district, parents or persons in parental relation to such minor
 18 shall have the option to check a space on such registration form author-
 19 izing such minor to receive a local library card from the respective
 20 local library.
 21 4. Upon the request of a public library that is located within the
 22 boundaries of a school district, the district shall disseminate informa-

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD08557-02-5

 S. 5989--A 2

 1 tional materials provided by the library regarding the public library
 2 and applications for public library cards to students enrolled in the
 3 school district. Such materials shall be distributed to any or all of
 4 the following, as requested by the public library:
 5 a. annually to every student of such school district upon [his or her]
 6 their entry into [kindergarten] grade one, grade six and grade nine,
 7 except that a library and school may agree to alternate or additional
 8 grades;
 9 b. to every student upon [his or her] their enrollment as a new
 10 student; and
 11 c. available at all times in the school library in each school within
 12 the school district for students and parents or persons in parental
 13 relation to a student who wish to obtain such materials.
 14 [4.] 5. The director of each participating public library shall
 15 consult annually with the school district in order to coordinate the
 16 provision of materials containing in