S-1081.2          _______________________________________________

                                 SENATE BILL 5528

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1991 Regular Session

By Senators Rinehart, Bailey, Murray and Erwin.

Read first time February 5, 1991.  Referred to Committee on Education.Allowing local literacy programs for children.

     AN ACT Relating to community support for education; amending 1990 c 290 s 2 (uncodified); adding a new section to chapter 27.04 RCW; and repealing 1990 c 290 s 3 (uncodified).

 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

     Sec. 1.  1990 c 290 s 2 (uncodified) is amended to read as follows:

     (1) The learn-in-libraries program is hereby created.  The state library commission shall administer the program.

     (2) The state library commission may provide grants, with funds appropriated for that purpose, to local libraries to develop and implement learn-in-library programs that provide after school and vacation programs for children.  Grant applicants shall be encouraged to develop programs that use older adult volunteers and other community volunteer resources.  The programs shall be designed to increase literacy, improve reading skills, encourage reading, and provide homework assistance for school-age children who would otherwise be unsupervised.  Applicants shall be encouraged to develop innovative models to provide services.

     (3) In addition to grants provided under subsection (2) of this section, the state library commission may provide grants, with funds appropriated for that purpose, to local libraries to develop and implement other innovative programs for children throughout the year.  Programs may be developed in cooperation with a school district and occur during the school day.  Programs shall be designed to provide services to children or to help provide training to parents or other persons working with children in order to increase literacy, encourage reading, promote reading readiness, and improve reading and other learning skills.  The commission shall encourage grant applicants to develop programs that use older adult volunteers and other community volunteer resources and to develop innovative models to provide services.

(4) The state library commission shall report to the legislature on the results of the program by December 1, 1991.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.      1990 c 290 s 3 (uncodified) is repealed.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.      Section 1 of this act is added to chapter 27.04 RCW.