Assemblymember Kimberly Jean-Pierre (D-Babylon) announced that legislation she sponsored to give libraries additional time to complete construction projects without losing any state aid has passed both houses of the Legislature (A.9487-A).

“Public libraries need our support more than ever, especially for construction projects that help ensure these vital community hubs can continue their mission,” Jean-Pierre said. “Pandemic-related supply chain issues and labor shortages impacted libraries the same as other organizations. Libraries, which provide essential resources to residents of all ages, should not lose their state aid because these projects are taking longer to complete than normal. My bill ensures libraries receive the full state aid awarded despite taking longer than usual to finish these construction projects.”

As chair of the Assembly’s Libraries and Education Technology Committee, Jean-Pierre has fought to expand library resources and bolster construction aid. This bill would temporarily give libraries up to six years to complete projects, two years longer than when construction aid typically ends. Several libraries statewide have been unable to complete projects within the required four years, Jean-Pierre noted.