AN ACT RELATING TO LIBRARIES -- STATE AID TO LIBRARIES (Increases reimbursement caps promulgated in 2018 and applies to eligible costs for library projects incurred from June 30, 2025 through June 30, 2031, or ending earlier if the Office of Library Information Services amends the regulations.)

H8168

2026 -- H 8168
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LC005722
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO LIBRARIES -- STATE AID TO LIBRARIES

Introduced By:
Representatives Cortvriend, Finkelman, Kislak, Edwards, McGaw, and
Morales

Date Introduced:
February 27, 2026

Referred To:
House Finance
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Findings and purpose.
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The general assembly hereby finds and declares that:
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(1) The State of Rhode Island recognizes that public libraries are essential civic institutions
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that provide free and equitable access to information, literacy resources, educational opportunities,
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technology, and cultural enrichment for residents of all ages;
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(2) Rhode Island’s public libraries play a critical role in supporting early childhood literacy,
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K–12 student achievement, higher education, and lifelong learning, thereby advancing the
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educational and economic well-being of the state;
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(3) Many public library buildings and facilities within the state are aging, undersized, or
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otherwise inadequate to meet current and emerging community needs, including the demand for
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digital access, collaborative learning spaces, quiet study areas, and flexible community
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programming;
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(4) Numerous library facilities require construction, renovation, or modernization in order
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to comply with current health, safety, and accessibility standards, including requirements under the
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Americans with Disabilities Act (the “ADA”), and to ensure that all residents of the state, including
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individuals with disabilities and older adults, can safely and fully utilize library services;
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(5) Investment in the construction, renovation, and modernization of public library
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facilities promotes local economic development, supports small businesses and workforce
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development programs, creates construction and related jobs, and enhances the quality of life in

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communities throughout the state;
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(6) Energy efficient, resilient, and technologically up-to-+date library buildings reduce
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operating costs for municipalities, advance the state’s environmental and resilience goals, and
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ensure continuity of essential community services during emergencies;
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(7) Modern, well equipped public libraries serve as vital community hubs that support civic
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engagement, public meetings, community partnerships, access to government information, and
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emergency response and recovery efforts;
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(8) Rhode Island state Regulations for Library Construction Reimbursement were
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promulgated in 2018 (the “2018 regulations”) and refiled without change on January 4, 2022;
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(9) The 2018 regulations provide for fifty percent (50%) reimbursement of expenditures
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for eligible projects subject to reimbursement caps that were established in 2018;
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(10) Publicly available data reflect that, between 2019 and 2025 the Boston Consumer
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Price Index (a commonly used measure of inflation for the region) has increased between 1.1% and
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7.1% annually, resulting in a total cumulative inflationary increase of 23.4% over that period;
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(11) Due to this sustained inflation, library projects can no longer be feasibly undertaken
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within the reimbursement caps set forth in the 2018 regulations; and
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(12) The general assembly finds that it is in the public interest to increase, by statute, the
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reimbursement caps established in the 2018 regulations on an interim basis, pending promulgation
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of amended regulations.
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SECTION 2. Section 29-6-6 of the General Laws in Chapter 29-6 entitled "State Aid to
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Libraries" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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29-6-6. Construction and capital improvements.
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The office of library and information services may cause to be paid to a city or town
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treasurer, or to any free public library in the state, a grant-in-aid for the construction and capital
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improvement of any free public library as the chief of library services may determine is necessary
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and desirable to provide better free library services to the public, which shall be paid in accordance
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with the following provisions:
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(1) No grant-in-aid shall be made unless the city or town receiving the grant-in-aid shall
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cause to be appropriated for the same purpose an amount from its own funds and not from any
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federal grant or other federal financial assistance equal to, or more than, the state grant-in-aid, or
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unless funds from private sources are dedicated for the same purpose in an amount equal to, or
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more than, the state grant-in-aid, or unless the total of the city or town appropriation and the funds
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from private sources for the same purpose is equal to, or more than, the state grant-in-aid.
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(2) The state grant-in-aid may be paid in installments over a period of years up to a

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maximum of twenty (20) years, beginning in the fiscal year during which the project is accepted
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by the office of library and information services. Whenever a grant-in-aid is paid on the installment
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basis permitted herein, there shall be included in the state grant-in-aid the interest cost actually
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incurred by the city or town, or any free public library, as a result of its having to borrow the state’s
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portion of the total cost of the library project. The amount of this interest cost shall be computed
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on the actual interest cost paid by the city or town, or free public library, less any applicable accrued
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interest, premiums,
which are not applied to project costs,
and profits from investments, over the
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period of time elapsing between the date borrowed funds are made available and the date of the last
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installment payment of the state grant-in-aid. Interest cost incurred by the city or town, or any free
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public library, as a result of having to borrow its portion of the total cost of the library project shall
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not be considered a part of the total cost of the project for the purposes of matching provided for in
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subdivision (1) of this section. Nothing contained herein shall prohibit the office of library and
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information services from accelerating the schedule of annual installments, or from paying the
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balance due of the state’s grant-in-aid in a lump sum; provided, however, that the state grant-in-aid
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in any fiscal year shall include no less than one-twentieth (⅟₂₀) of the state’s total reimbursable
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principal obligations.
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(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of the state regulations for library construction
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reimbursement promulgated in 2018 (the “2018 regulations”), which regulations were filed without
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change on January 4, 2022, the reimbursement caps for eligible project costs incurred during the
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period commencing June 30, 2025 and ending on June 30, 2031, or ending on such earlier date as
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the office of library information services promulgates amendments to the 2018 regulations which
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increase reimbursement caps to amounts above those amounts set forth in this subsection for the
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effective period shall be as follows:
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(i) Construction costs are eligible for fifty percent (50%) reimbursement of expenditures
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up to the amount of three hundred seventy dollars and twenty cents ($370.20) per square foot for
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new construction or three hundred and eight dollars and fifty cents ($308.50) per square foot for
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renovation and remodeling. If the actual construction costs exceed one or both of these amounts
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per square foot, the state share shall be based on the not-to-exceeded amounts. Cost per square foot
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shall be determined by the cost of contracts for new construction and/or contracts for expansion,
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remodeling and alteration of existing buildings.
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(ii) Site costs, including demolition, sitework, the acquisition of a site or building, site
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improvement and parking lots, are reimbursable up to the lesser amount of one million two hundred
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thirty-four thousand dollars ($1,234,000) or ten percent (10%) of the total project cost less the site
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costs.

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(iii) The total amount of reimbursement for any project shall not exceed twelve million
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three hundred forty thousand dollars ($12,340,000).
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(iv) Allowable costs include financing leases, but not operating leases, of library facilities,
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including land acquisition, construction, renovation, expansion, landscaping, parking facilities,
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fixtures, furnishings and equipment, fire suppression systems, and expenses related to meeting a
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high performance green building standard such as, but not limited to, the Leadership in Energy and
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Environmental Design (“LEED”) standard. Any library or municipality that finances or refinances
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a project with bonds, notes, financing leases, or other evidences of indebtedness shall not require
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pre-approval from the office of library services, but shall file the financing or refinancing
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documents with the office of library services after the financing transaction is complete.
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(4) Notwithstanding any provision of law or agreement to the contrary, the increases in the
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caps on state grant-in-aid reimbursement for construction or capital improvement projects pursuant
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to the provisions of this subsection shall apply retroactively to all eligible project costs incurred on
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or after July 1, 2025, whether the costs are subject to reimbursement under agreements executed
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before, on, or after June 1, 2025. All reimbursement agreements for construction or capital
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improvement projects executed by the office of library and information services shall be deemed
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amended by operation of law to incorporate the increased caps with respect to eligible project costs
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incurred during the effective period, and the office of library and information services is authorized
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and directed to adjust reimbursement payments accordingly, subject to the availability of
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appropriated funds. Any maximum dollar amount, percentage, or other cap on state grant-in-aid
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reimbursement for construction or capital improvement projects established under, this subsection
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shall automatically increase by three percent (3%) on July 1 of each year, beginning July 1, 2027.
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SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO LIBRARIES -- STATE AID TO LIBRARIES
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This act would increase on an interim basis, by statute, the reimbursement caps established
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in the state’s Regulations for Library Construction Reimbursement promulgated in 2018, pending
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promulgation of amended regulations. The increased caps would apply to eligible costs for library
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projects incurred during the period commencing June 30, 2025 and ending on June 30, 2031, or
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ending on such earlier date as the Office of Library Information Services promulgates amendments
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to the regulations which increase reimbursement caps to amounts above those amounts set forth in
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this act. The amendments made by this act would apply retroactively to all eligible project costs
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incurred during the effective period, whether such costs are subject to reimbursement under
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agreements executed before, on, or after June 1, 2025.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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