178.694.  Imagination library of Missouri program — definitions — purpose — Dolly Parton's imagination library affiliate — reading selections provided to eligible children — rulemaking authority — fund created — sunset provision. — 1.  As used in this section, the following terms mean:

  (1)  "Affiliate", the Dolly Parton's imagination library affiliate created under this section;

  (2)  "Department", the department of elementary and secondary education;

  (3)  "Eligible child", any child under five years of age who resides in this state;

  (4)  "Program", the imagination library of Missouri program established in this section;

  (5)  "Reading selection", a high-quality, age-appropriate book provided to an eligible child under the program established in this section.

  2.  There is hereby established in the department's office of childhood the "Imagination Library of Missouri Program", which shall be a statewide program for encouraging preschool children to read by providing monthly reading selections to the homes of children from birth to five years of age.

  3.  The office of childhood shall establish a nonprofit entity to work in conjunction with school districts in mailing monthly reading selections directly to the homes of eligible children.  The entity shall be known as the "Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Affiliate" and shall be the statewide affiliate that works in conjunction with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and school districts to provide reading selections under this section.

  4.  Beginning in school year 2023-24 and continuing in each subsequent school year, each school district shall, in partnership with the affiliate, give one reading selection to each eligible child in the school district in each month, beginning as early as the child's birth month through the month in which the child reaches five years of age.  Subject to appropriation, the costs of giving such reading selections to eligible children shall be reimbursed to each school district from the imagination library of Missouri fund created in this section.

  5.  The department shall promulgate rules to:

  (1)  Manage the daily operations of the program;

  (2)  Coordinate with organizations and public schools of this state to advance and strengthen the program and promote enrollment growth;

  (3)  Develop, promote, and coordinate a public awareness program to make donors aware of the opportunity to donate to the imagination library of Missouri fund;

  (4)  Develop, promote, and coordinate a public awareness program to make the public aware of the opportunity to register children to receive age-appropriate books on a monthly basis; and

  (5)  Allow the department to implement and administer the provisions of this section.

  6.  (1)  There is hereby created in the state treasury the "Imagination Library of Missouri Program Fund", which shall consist of any gifts, bequests, grants, public or private donations, transfers, or moneys appropriated under this section.  The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund.  In accordance with sections 30.170 and 30.180, the state treasurer may approve disbursements.  The fund shall be a dedicated fund and, upon appropriation, moneys in this fund shall be used solely as provided in this section.

  (2)  Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary, any moneys remaining in the fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the general revenue fund.

  (3)  The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as other funds are invested.  Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be credited to the fund.

  7.  The general assembly shall appropriate at least two and one-half^* million dollars annually to the imagination library of Missouri program fund.  In the department's budget requests for school year 2023-24 and all subsequent school years, the department shall include a plan to distribute sufficient moneys to school districts to allow each school district to give reading selections to all eligible children within the school district under this section.

  8.  To comply with this section, a school district may, in coordination with the department's office of childhood, enter into an agreement, partnership, or similar arrangement with an adjacent school district.  If the school district finds that no adjacent school district gives reading selections to eligible children as provided in this section, the school district may request the department's office of childhood and the affiliate to assist the school district in complying with this section.

  9.  Under section 23.253 of the Missouri sunset act:

  (1)  The provisions of the new program authorized under this section shall automatically sunset on December thirty-first four years after August 28, 2022, unless reauthorized by an act of the general assembly; and

  (2)  If such program is reauthorized, the program authorized under this section shall automatically sunset on December thirty-first eight years after the effective date of the reauthorization of this section; and

  (3)  This section shall terminate on September first of the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which the program authorized under this section is sunset.