Kennebec County, Augusta;

Knox County, Rockland;

Lincoln County, Wiscasset;

Oxford County, South Paris;

Penobscot County, Bangor;

Piscataquis County, Dover-Foxcroft;

Sagadahoc County, Bath;

Somerset County, Skowhegan;

Waldo County, Belfast;

Washington County, Machias; and

York County, Alfred.

All funds appropriated by the Legislature for the use and benefit of the law libraries must be paid to the Administrative Office of the Courts and must be disbursed by that office under the direction of the State Court Library Committee.

The libraries located at Bangor and Portland are to serve as regional court law library centers.__The State Court Library Committee shall allocate specific funds, in addition to the resources received by the other law libraries, to the regional court law library centers in Bangor and Portland to purchase legal resources, library equipment and supplies and necessary personnel.__Both regional court libraries must receive the same funds.

All other law libraries must receive equal resources and services regardless of location and have access to the regional court law library centers for the resources not available locally.

Sec. 3. 4 MRSA §195, as enacted by PL 1981, c. 510, §1, is amended to read:

§195. County law libraries

There is created must be a County Law Library Committee, of not less than 3 nor more than 7 members, in each county in which a county law library is located. The members of the committee shall must be appointed or elected by the county bar association,

or other governing body, as its bylaws may provide. Membership on the committee need not be restricted to attorneys. The County Law Library Committee shall appoint a chairman chair, a treasurer and a clerk.

Sec. 4. 4 MRSA §196, as enacted by PL 1981, c. 510, §1, is amended to read:

§196. Duties, county committee

The County Law Library Committee shall, in conjunction with the State Court Library Committee, establish local operating policies, such as, but not limited to, hours, circulation policies, smoking rules, access and photocopy privileges. Each county committee shall exercise supervision over the expenditures of private and nonstate funds, including endowments, and may use those funds to upgrade its county law library. Each County Law Library Committee, together with the State Court Library Committee, shall develop its basic collection within guidelines established by the State Court Library Committee. Each county committee, in consultation with the State Court Library Committee, shall determine new acquisitions. Each county committee shall determine space requirements, with the advice and assistance of the State Court Library Committee.

SUMMARY

This bill implements the recommendations made by the Study Group to the State Library Committee. The bill requires that one of the 4 attorney members on the State Court Library Committee must be chosen from a county having a census population of from 45,000 to 120,000 and that one must be chosen from a county having a census population of less than 45,000 persons. The bill also adds Kennebec County to the list of available law library locations. The bill also requires the County Law Library Committee in conjunction with the State Court Library Committee to establish local operating policies.