This amendment would make the following changes to House Bill 119: 1.

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Changes to School Library Review Process

This amendment changes how schools handle challenges to library materials, requiring removal from student access during review and setting rules for who can file objections.

What This Bill Does

• Requires that school library materials under review be removed from students' access until the review is completed within 30 days. School staff can still use these materials during this time.
• Sets a one-year waiting period before any specific book or material can be reviewed again after it has been previously challenged and reviewed.
• Allows residents of the school district to file objections about library materials.

Who It Names or Affects

• Schools that have libraries with review processes for challenged materials
• Students who might lose access to certain books during reviews
• Residents of school districts who can now object to library materials

Terms To Know

Review process

The steps taken by a school to examine and decide on the status of challenged library materials.

Standing

The right or permission to file an objection about something, in this case, library materials.

Limits and Unknowns

• This amendment was defeated in the House and did not become law.
• It does not specify what happens if a review is not completed within 30 days.

Official Summary Text

This amendment would make the following changes to House Bill 119:
1. Require school library materials under review to be briefly removed from student access during the review process. School staff would continue to have access during the review period. The review would be required to be completed within 30 days of the initial receipt of the objection.
2. Limit the review of any specific school library material by requiring a one-year period between the end of the review process and the filing of a new objection. This change would prevent bad actors from seeking to keep targeted material out of circulation by filing repeated challenges.
3. Expand those with standing to file an objection to school library material to include school district residents. The current language of the bill would exclude potential objections of most school district residents and taxpayers. This aspect of the amendment seeks to correct this inadvertent oversight by including these stakeholders.

Current Bill Text

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Dukes

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE AMENDMENT NO. 3

TO

HOUSE BILL NO. 119

AMEND House Bill No. 119 by deleting lines 102 through 104 in their entirety and inserting in lieu thereof:

“

(1) Require that library material under review due to an objection be removed for access by students until the review process is concluded within 30 days of receipt of the objection. School staff may continue to access the material during the review process, including any appeals.

”.

FURTHER AMEND House Bill No. 119 by inserting after line 104 the following:

“

(4) Material that has been previously reviewed will not be considered for further review within one year of the conclusion of the previous process.

”.

FURTHER AMEND House Bill No. 119 by inserting after line 109 the following:

“

(4) A resident of the area served by the school district.

”.

SYNOPSIS

This amendment would make the following changes to House Bill 119:

1. Require school library materials under review to be briefly removed from student access during the review process. School staff would continue to have access during the review period. The review would be required to be completed within 30 days of the initial receipt of the objection.

2. Limit the review of any specific school library material by requiring a one-year period between the end of the review process and the filing of a new objection. This change would prevent bad actors from seeking to keep targeted material out of circulation by filing repeated challenges.

3. Expand those with standing to file an objection to school library material to include school district residents. The current language of the bill would exclude potential objections of most school district residents and taxpayers. This aspect of the amendment seeks to correct this inadvertent oversight by including these stakeholders.