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Massachusetts Democrats are leading a pushback against what they call “politically motivated book bans” with a bill that would set new rules for challenging books in school and public libraries.
The bipartisan bill, titled “An Act regarding free expression,” is co-sponsored by 18 Democrats and three Republicans, and aims to give stronger protections to school and public librarians and other staff who select library materials. It sets statewide guidelines for how, when and why books can be removed from libraries.
“The legislation requires that school library materials be age-appropriate, serve an educational purpose, and be chosen based on a teacher or librarian’s professional training—leaving aside personal or political views which could affect their decision to place the book on the shelf,” bill co-sponsor state Sen. Jason Lewis said in a Nov. 17 press release.
School library materials can only be removed after a “vote by the school committee following notice, a public hearing and a finding by a review committee of school personnel, appointed by the school committee and the superintendent, that the material is devoid of any educational, literary, artistic, personal or social value or is not age appropriate for any child who attends the school,” the bill states.
The ALA claims book challenges are up from pre-2020 levels. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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“In our increasingly polarized society, protecting freedom of expression and the right to read are of paramount importance,” Lewis said. “Malicious and politically motivated book bans are being used to silence the voices and stories of diverse and underrepresented authors in our communities, but this bill passed by the Senate establishes clear policies and transparent review processes to defend literature and freedom of thought from political attacks.”
The legislation also directs each school district and charter school to adopt a written policy, based on American Library Association standards, for selecting library materials and handling challenges. Public libraries would be required to make similar policies public and report challenges to state officials.
The Massachusetts legislature is overwhelmingly Democratic.
On its website, the American Library Association says its Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 821 attempts to censor library materials and services in 2024, down from a record 1,247 attempts in 2023 but still far above pre-2020 levels.
Supporters of LGBTQ rights protest book opt-outs in Maryland. (Oliver Contreras/AFP via Getty Images)
Books with LGBTQ+ themes or sexually explicit content, including “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe and “Flamer” by Mike Curato, have repeatedly appeared on ALA lists of the most frequently challenged books in recent years.
Opponents of the Massachusetts bill, like the Massachusetts Family Institute, labeled the proposed legislation as the “Pornographic Schoolbooks Bill” and argue it would make it harder for parents and local school committees to challenge sexually explicit books in children’s libraries.
“This bill is not a good-hearted effort to protect free speech. It is a state-sponsored effort to silence anyone who dares to question a school librarian’s book selections. It places the wishes of adults over the protection of children,” the faith-based advocacy group says.
“Gender Queer” seen here at the Lincoln Belmont branch of the Chicago Public Library. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
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Sen. Peter Durant, R-Spencer, who voted against the bill, told The Worcester Guardian that the bill strips parents’ rights while empowering interest groups to push particular books.
“Defenders will say it shouldn’t be a particular group that is trying to ban these books,” he said. “Well, you know what? It shouldn’t be a particular group that’s promoting them.”
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The Massachusetts Senate approved the bill in a 35-3 vote on Nov. 13 and sent it to the House, where it has been referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means for further consideration.
Fox News Digital reached out to the bill’s lead sponsor, state Sen. Julian Cyr, for comment.
