Reps. Morales and Stewart call on Governor McKee to fully fund libraries in state budget
STATE HOUSE — Reps. David Morales and Jennifer Stewart are calling on Gov. Dan McKee to fulfill the state’s obligation to fully fund Rhode Island’s public libraries in his forthcoming budget proposal.
David Morales
David Morales“Last year we passed the historic Freedom to Read Act, protecting out public and school libraries from partisan or doctrinal book-banning efforts, and ensuring that they will remain inclusive spaces where future generations can freely read and learn,” said Representative Morales (D-Dist. 7, Providence). “Now we must live up to our responsibility fund this future by fully funding our libraries. Public libraries provide critical services at no cost to our neighbors that go far beyond the gift of literature, such as after school programs, early literacy programs, notary services, and internet access. This is not the time to shortchange these essential public services.”
The Freedom to Read Act (2025-H 5726A, 2025-S 0238B) was sponsored by Representative Morales and co-sponsored by Representative Stewart. Representative Stewart was the lead sponsor of legislation in 2024 (2024-H 7386) that was incorporated into the final Freedom to Read bill that passed in 2025.
“Over the last few years we’ve seen efforts to compromise the ability of public libraries to provide vital community services both through partisan censorship of library materials and through direct funding cuts,” said Representative Stewart (D-Dist. 59, Pawtucket). “As an example, the current federal administration has attempted to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the federal agency that is the single largest source of grants to public libraries, and while though those efforts are on hold due to a lawsuit brought here in Rhode Island District court, funding remains precarious. I developed my love of reading and learning because I had lifelong access to public libraries and I call upon the governor to ensure that the children of today and tomorrow have the same opportunity.”
Jennifer Stewart
Existing state law requires the state to contribute to each city and town in an amount equal to 25% of municipal expenditures and 25% of any expenditures from a library’s private endowment that supplements the municipal funding. Until 2022, that requirement had been ignored for over a decade. An advocacy campaign led by Representative Morales and library supporters across the state helped ensure that the final budget for FY2023 included the required 25% funding. Despite the Governor’s proposed budgets in FY2025 and FY2026 falling short of the full 25%, at the urging of Representative Morales and Representative Stewart, the General Assembly has fully funded libraries at 25% for the last four fiscal years.