Illinois lawmakers greenlighted a bill Wednesday that says libraries in the state must adopt an anti-book banning policy to receive state funding, in a vote that fissured along party lines. The measure, spearheaded by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, represents a counter-movement to growing efforts to restrict books on topics such as race, gender, and sexuality in schools and libraries across the US. The legislation has passed both chambers and now heads to the desk of Gov. JB Pritzker, who said he looks forward to signing it, the AP reports. "This landmark legislation is a triumph for our democracy, a win for First Amendment rights, and most importantly, a great victory for future generations to come," said Giannoulias in a news conference Wednesday.
The bill requires libraries, to be eligible for state funding, to adopt the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights, which holds that "materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation," and "should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval." Libraries may also develop an alternative policy prohibiting the practice of banning to receive the funds. The measure cleared the Senate on a party-line vote, per the AP. Democratic Sen. Laura Murphy, one of the bill's sponsors, celebrated its passage.
"Librarians are trained professionals, and we need to trust that they will stock our libraries with appropriate materials—they were hired for their expertise, and they deserve our respect," Murphy said in a statement. All 19 Senate Republicans voted against the measure, including Sen. Jason Plummer, who called it an effort by Democrats "to force their extreme ideology on communities across this state" and would wrest control from local libraries. Attempted book bans and restrictions at school and public libraries hit a record high in 2022, according to a March report from the American Library Association.
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