S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K ________________________________________________________________________ 5625 2015-2016 Regular Sessions I N S E N A T E May 20, 2015 ___________ Introduced by Sen. FARLEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education AN ACT to authorize the Gloversville Public Library to enter into contracts in aid of the financing of historic rehabilitation of the library; and to authorize participation in the retirement system by employees of a free association library chartered to serve the Enlarged City School District of the city of Gloversville THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM- BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: 1 Section 1. Policy and purposes. It is hereby declared to be the policy 2 of this state to promote the education, economic welfare and prosperity 3 of inhabitants of low-income communities, and to encourage the rehabili- 4 tation of historic buildings and the provision of library services in 5 low-income communities in order to promote the education of residents 6 and assist in the economic revival of such communities. The rehabili- 7 tation of historic buildings and the enhancement of public library 8 services are matters of state concern. It is found that enabling the use 9 of historic rehabilitation tax credits, new markets tax credits, and 10 other tax and other incentives to assist in financing the rehabilitation 11 and preservation of the Gloversville Public Library is for a public and 12 governmental purpose and in the public interest for the benefit of the 13 people served by the Gloversville Public Library and the improvement of 14 their education, economic welfare, and prosperity and for the advance- 15 ment and improvement of education and economic prosperity in the state. 16 S 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general, special, or local 17 law, for the purposes set forth in section one of this act: 18 (a) The Gloversville Public Library, acting by its board of trustees, 19 is hereby authorized and empowered to transfer to any New York education 20 corporation the real property known as the Gloversville Public Library, 21 including the site thereof, building, parking areas and other facilities 22 appurtenant thereto or utilized therefor, with or without consideration, EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD11209-02-5 S. 5625 2 1 upon such terms and conditions as may be agreed upon by the Gloversville 2 Public Library and such New York education corporation. 3 (b) The Gloversville Public Library, acting by its board of trustees, 4 is hereby authorized and empowered to transfer to the trustees of a free 5 association library chartered and registered by the regents, ownership 6 and control of the personal property of the Gloversville Public Library, 7 including library materials, records, furnishings and all other property 8 of the Gloversville Public Library exclusive of land and buildings, for 9 the purpose of providing library services for the benefit and free use 10 on equal terms of the residents of the Enlarged City School District of 11 the city of Gloversville, subject to any terms or conditions as may be 12 agreed to by the Gloversville Public Library and such free association 13 library. 14 (c) Taxes levied and collected by the Enlarged City School District of 15 the city of Gloversville for library purposes shall be paid over to any 16 library chartered and registered by the regents to provide library 17 services for the benefit and free use on equal terms of the residents of 18 the Enlarged City School District of the city of Gloversville, as 19 directed and approved by the voters of the Enlarged City School District 20 of the city of Gloversville. 21 S 3. It is hereby declared that all of the purposes referred to in 22 this act are in the public interest and for the benefit of the residents 23 of the Enlarged City School District of the city of Gloversville and are 24 hereby declared to be public purposes for which monies and other assets 25 of the Gloversville Public Library may be used or expended. 26 S 4. Notwithstanding any law, rule or regulation, any free association 27 library chartered by the regents to serve the Enlarged City School 28 District of the city of Gloversville and registered by the regents may, 29 by resolution adopted by its board of trustees and approved by the comp- 30 troller, elect to participate in the retirement system. Acceptance of 31 its employees for membership in the retirement system shall be mandatory 32 with the comptroller, who shall determine the amounts of contribution 33 payable by such library and its employees, shall resolve questions of 34 credit for prior service, and shall in all other respects assure that 35 such employees share the same rights, obligations and benefits as other 36 members of the retirement system. The officers and employees of such 37 library shall be credited with such periods of prior service as shall be 38 certified by such library for service rendered to it, or the state, or 39 in any other capacity approved by such library and the comptroller. 40 Service for such library after the date on which it commences to partic- 41 ipate in the retirement system shall be considered as member service. An 42 officer or employee of such library who, as of the date he or she is so 43 approved for membership in the retirement system, is already a member 44 thereof, shall not have his or her total credit reduced by such 45 approval. Any reserve held on account of any such officer or employee in 46 the pension accumulation fund shall be used as an offset against the 47 deficiency contribution payable thereafter by such library on account of 48 such officer or employee for any prior service credit and any such 49 previous credit. 50 S 5. This act shall take effect immediately.