Alabama House Republicans have reintroduced a bill that aims to attach criminal penalties for having certain materials in libraries that are accessible to children. HB 4, sponsored by Rep. Arnold Mooney, would apply criminal obscenity laws to public libraries and public school libraries. The bill does not apply to higher education institutions and does not specify the level of felony or misdemeanor applicable. It includes fines and potential imprisonment as penalties under the Alabama Anti-Obscenity Enforcement Act.
This legislation adds a definition of “sexual conduct” in K-12 public schools or public libraries where minors are present without parental consent. The bill provides a 15-day period for staff to take action if material is deemed inappropriate. However, critics argue that the timeframe is not reasonable and suggest a 60-day period instead.
Craig Scott, president of the Alabama Library Association, expressed offense at the bill, stating that librarians have been trained for decades to handle such matters and that legislative interference is unnecessary.
House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter emphasized that the bill aims to protect children and ensure that libraries are a trusted educational resource. This legislation comes amid a national trend of attacks on public libraries, with over 4,000 book bans reported in the first half of the school year.
The previous version of the bill did not pass the Senate. The current version, with nearly 50 co-sponsors, including Republican leadership, is set to undergo further review. Alabama Reflector, a nonprofit news network, reported on the bill with editorial independence.
Source
Photo credit www.yahoo.com