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UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS HB 290/EN
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HB029020.100 - 1572 - XXXX 3/31/2026 1:03 PM Engrossed
AN ACT relating to the provision of legal research resources. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
Section 1. KRS 172.100 is amended to read as follows: 3
(1) A county law library shall be established in each county seat and the fiscal court of 4
each county shall designate sufficient room in the courthouse, in a building of good 5
construction adjacent to the courthouse, in the local public library, or in a buildin g 6
where sessions of the District or Circuit Court are regularly held, or a combination 7
of the foregoing, where such library shall be located and where the books and 8
materials of the library may be safely kept. 9
(2) The books of the county law library shall consist of all volumes belonging to the 10
state heretofore sent to the various county officials directed by law to receive such 11
books, and all volumes hereafter sent to such library by the state, and all books now 12
owned or hereafter acquired by the county fo r the library. Where required to be 13
provided by law, the state may provide electronic access to books and legal 14
resources in lieu of bound volumes. The counties may provide on -line legal 15
resources, including access and subscriptions to computer -assisted legal research 16
facilities and the related infrastructure required to access the internet, and may 17
acquire books, maps, computers and related equipment, or other articles for the 18
library by purchase, gift, or devise. 19
Section 2. KRS 172.200 is amended to read as follows: 20
(1) Upon the adoption of this optional plan, in counties other than those containing a 21
city of the first class or consolidated local government, the Circuit Judge shall 22
appoint one (1) member of the county's bar, and the members of the county's bar 23
shall, by majority vote, elect another of their number, which two (2) attorneys shall, 24
with the county attorney of the county, constitute and be designated as "Trustees, .... 25
County Law Library." In counties containing a city of the first class or consolidated 26
local government, the Chief Circuit Judge shall appoint one (1) member of the 27
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS HB 290/EN
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HB029020.100 - 1572 - XXXX 3/31/2026 1:03 PM Engrossed
county's bar; the members of the county's bar shall, by majority vote, elect another 1
of their number; the fiscal court or consolidat ed local government pursuant to the 2
provisions of KRS 67C.139 shall appoint one (1) member, and one (1) member 3
shall be appointed by the Commonwealth's attorney, which four (4) attorneys shall, 4
with the county attorney of the county, constitute and be desi gnated as "Trustees, 5
........ County Law Library" or in a county containing a consolidated local 6
government, "Trustees, ......../..........County Law Library," which shall be a 7
combination of the names of the largest city in existence on the date of the ap proval 8
of the consolidated local government and the county. 9
(2) The trustees shall serve for a term of two (2) years or until their successors are 10
elected or qualified. 11
(3) The trustees shall be in charge of the county law library, and they shall make 12
purchases of the various state and federal case reports, textbooks, legal 13
encyclopedia, computers and related equipment, including access and 14
subscriptions to computer -assisted legal research facilities and the related 15
infrastructure required to access the internet, and all other books or equipment 16
usually incident to or customarily f ound in law libraries, or necessary to the 17
protection of the rights of litigants, and they shall cause same to be properly 18
arranged in the county law library or Court of Justice facilities, directing the ex 19
officio librarian in the exercise of his or her duties. The trustees may also provide 20
on-line legal resources for the use of library patrons. 21
(4) The trustees shall exercise their absolute discretion in the purchase of books, 22
pamphlets, periodicals, and other materials and equipment, and in the appointme nt 23
and compensation of personnel to assist the ex officio librarian in the handling of 24
materials and in the maintenance of the library, but the trustees shall not contract 25
for any such purchases and appointments so as to create an indebtedness greater 26
than the anticipated revenue for the following eighteen (18) months, the anticipated 27
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS HB 290/EN
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HB029020.100 - 1572 - XXXX 3/31/2026 1:03 PM Engrossed
revenue being based upon the preceding eighteen (18) months' revenue, and any 1
indebtedness of the county law library fund shall not be considered in any way an 2
indebtedness of the county, but shall be an indebtedness of the county law library 3
fund only, and all creditors must look only to the county law library fund for 4
satisfaction of their indebtedness. 5
(5) The trustees shall designate one (1) of their number as treasurer and he or she shall: 6
(a) Be accountable for the receipt, deposit, and disbursement of all sums received 7
for the operation of the county law library;[. He shall] 8
(b) Be bonded by a corporate bond, the cost of which shall be paid out of the 9
receipts of the library fund;[. He shall] 10
(c) Deposit all sums received by him or her as treasurer in a regular banking 11
depository, and he or she shall pay for all purchases made by the trustees by 12
check or draft, keeping a true and accurate account of all sums received and 13
expended;[ by him. He shall] 14
(d) Annually file a written report with the Circuit Judge of the county showing all 15
sums received [ by him] , together with the court from which they were 16
received, and an itemized statement of all expenditures made ; and[ by hi m. 17
The treasurer shall] 18
(e) Turn all funds over to his or her successor, together with a full inventory of 19
the county law library, and together with a full and complete itemized 20
statement of all outstanding accounts. 21
Section 3. KRS 57.320 is amended to read as follows: 22
If requested by the Chief Justice, a judge, or the county law librarian, the state law 23
librarian, under direction of the Supreme Court, may[shall] purchase bound volumes and 24
advance sheets of, or electronic access to, the opinions of the Supreme Court and Court 25
of Appeals [and furnish them ] for the use of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, 26
a[each] county law library, or[and each judge of] a Circuit or District Court. 27