87R5597 MWC-F     By: Longoria H.B. No. 1381       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the award of library construction grants by the Texas   State Library and Archives Commission.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 441.135(b), Government Code, is amended   to read as follows:          (b)  The program of grants shall include one or more of the   following:                (1)  system operation grants, to:                      (A)  provide basic system support services to   member libraries;                      (B)  provide coordination and enable cooperation   with the commission and with other libraries in a region; and                      (C)  meet commission and federal goals;                (2)  incentive grants, to encourage public libraries to   join together into larger units of service to meet commission and   federal goals;                (3)  establishment grants, to help libraries establish   consortia or cooperatives that will enable libraries to better   serve their communities;                (4)  equalization grants, to help public libraries in   communities with relatively limited taxable resources to meet   commission and federal goals and qualify for library system   membership;                (5)  public information technology grants, to help   public libraries make state, local, and federal government   information that is accessible through the Internet available to   the public through computers;                (6)  competitive grants, to promote innovation by   public libraries and by libraries described by Section 441.1271(a)   and to encourage major resource systems or regional library systems   and libraries to meet commission and federal goals; [and]                (7)  grants to aid local libraries, to provide   assistance to public libraries, and to help those libraries meet   commission and federal goals; and                (8)  construction grants, to encourage the   establishment of new public libraries or the improvement of   existing public libraries.          SECTION 2.  Section 441.138, Government Code, is amended by   amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as   follows:          (b)  Libraries and library systems may use state grants for:                (1)  materials;                (2)  [,] personnel;                (3)  [,] equipment;                (4)  [,] administrative expenses;                (5)  new construction, rehabilitation, or renovation   of a library or the infrastructure of a library and associated   expenses; [,] and                (6)  financing programs that enrich the services and   materials offered a community by its public library.          (b-1)  State grants may not be used for site acquisition,   [construction,] acquisition of buildings, or payment of past debts.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.