California State Librarian Greg Lucas was questioned by state lawmakers on March 12, 2026, about approximately $650,000 in unaccounted funds linked to the state’s participation in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library literacy program. The inquiry took place during a Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 1 on Education hearing focused on the distribution and oversight of program funds.
Discrepancies in Financial Documentation
Subcommittee documents presented at the hearing revealed that the Strong Reader Partnership, a nonprofit established to administer the program, reported spending about $1.2 million. However, bank statements provided to Senate budget staff showed only $555,000 in expenditures, leaving roughly $649,000 without supporting financial records.
State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, chair of the subcommittee, emphasized the seriousness of the missing funds, describing the lack of documentation as “incredibly concerning” given the program’s bipartisan aim to improve childhood literacy.
Ongoing Request for Records and State Librarian Response
Senate budget staff have repeatedly requested receipts, invoices, and bank statements from the Strong Reader Partnership between November 2025 and February 2026, but complete records have not been provided. Lucas acknowledged the challenge of obtaining some information, noting that the nonprofit no longer has members or funds since transferring money to the Imagination Library organization.
He disputed claims that the funds were entirely unaccounted for and indicated that the state library has forwarded the available financial report to lawmakers and continues to press the nonprofit for additional documentation.
Official Statements and Legislative Expectations
A state library spokesperson told ABC10 that the library is committed to transparency and accountability and affirmed it had provided all available documentation to the legislature while seeking further records from the nonprofit.
Senator Pérez gave Lucas a seven-day deadline to submit detailed financial records, including invoices and receipts, to clarify the disposition of the disputed funds.
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