National Book Censorship Bill Update After passing the US House Committee on Education and the Workforce last week, HR 7661 has not been added to the floor calendar for a vote. We expect it to be introduced after the recess (that is, on April 14 or after), and ABA will be working with our allies to be ready when it does. Watch this space for opportunities for you and your communities to act. In the meantime, if you haven’t emailed your representative, there is still time. You can also share the link with your customers! Seeking Health Insurance Input Bookstore owners and managers should have received an email today from ABA’s Advocacy team asking for your input on health insurance. We strongly encourage you to fill out the survey as it will provide us with critical information as we assess health insurance solutions for associations (such as Association Health Plans) and other possible options. The survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete. If you are the person responsible for health insurance decisions at the bookstore, please take this quick survey. Arizona Bills Target Librarians and Book Access Two Arizona Senate bills, SB 1435 and SB 1567, would use different means to restrict access to books containing depictions of sex while creating fear and uncertainty in the state’s public servants. SB 1435 targets librarians who “refer” an unemancipated minor to material containing sexual conduct — potentially including, for example, telling a student where they can find Slaughterhouse Five in the stacks. SB 1567 would similarly threaten public library workers and public educators if they are employees of or contractors with state or local government. As with all book censorship, these bills would stunt the next generation of young readers and threaten the future of reading. Ultimately, we anticipate a veto will be the best way to defeat these bills, but for now you should write to your senator and tell them you oppose these bills. Oklahoma Bills Would Lead to Book Ban Spike Two Oklahoma bills, SB 1250 and HB 2978, have cleared a major legislative hurdle toward passage. If enacted, these bills would almost certainly increase the number of books banned in schools in the state. Using different means, they both would restrict content including depictions of sex, even if a book has serious literary or artistic value. Each bill has passed the chamber where it originated, meaning legislators could move quickly to pass either of them. Now is the time to write your senator and your representative to tell them you oppose both bills. Visit our action center for more details. |
