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S10554 • 2025

Protects the independence of libraries and shields librarians from civil and criminal liability for certain actions

Protects the independence of libraries and shields librarians from civil and criminal liability for certain actions

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Rachel May
Last action
2026-06-01
Official status
In Senate Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Protects the independence of libraries and shields librarians from civil and criminal liability for certain actions

Protects the independence of libraries and shields librarians from civil and criminal liability for certain actions Protects the independence of libraries; shields librarians from civil and criminal liability for certain actions.

What This Bill Does

  • Protects the independence of libraries and shields librarians from civil and criminal liability for certain actions Protects the independence of libraries; shields librarians from civil and criminal liability for certain actions.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-06-01 Senate

    AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO LIBRARIES

  2. 2026-06-01 Senate

    PRINT NUMBER 10554A

  3. 2026-05-21 Senate

    REFERRED TO LIBRARIES

Official Summary Text

Protects the independence of libraries and shields librarians from civil and criminal liability for certain actions
Protects the independence of libraries; shields librarians from civil and criminal liability for certain actions.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          10554

                                    I N  S E N A T E

                                      May 21, 2026
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen.  MAY  --  read  twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Libraries

        AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to protecting  the  inde-
          pendence of libraries and shielding librarians from civil and criminal
          liability for certain actions

          THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
        BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

     1    Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "protecting
     2  libraries' independence act".
     3    § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 286 to  read
     4  as follows:
     5    § 286. PROTECTING LIBRARIES' INDEPENDENCE. 1. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS
     6  SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
     7    (A)  "INDIVIDUAL  WITH  A VESTED INTEREST IN THE PUBLIC LIBRARY" MEANS
     8  ANY RESIDENT WHO IS SERVED BY THE PUBLIC  LIBRARY  AND  RESIDES  IN  THE
     9  MUNICIPALITY WHERE THE LIBRARY IS SITUATED.
    10    (B)  "LIBRARY  MATERIAL"  MEANS BOOKS, VIDEOS, SUBSCRIPTION OR LOCALLY
    11  CURATED DATABASES, NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES  AND  OTHER  SUCH  PERIODICALS,
    12  CHARTS,  GRAPHS, MOVIES, GAMES, MAPS, INTERACTIVE APPLICATIONS AND SOFT-
    13  WARE, AND OTHER SUCH ENRICHMENT OR ENTERTAINMENT MATERIALS IN ANY PRINT-
    14  ED OR ELECTRONIC FORMAT, INCLUSIVE OF FICTION AND NON-FICTION  BELONGING
    15  TO, ON LOAN TO, OR OTHERWISE IN THE CUSTODY OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
    16    (C) "LIBRARIAN" MEANS AN EMPLOYEE WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PURCHASE,
    17  SELECTION, CURATION, REMOVAL, AND DISPLAY OF LIBRARY MATERIALS.
    18    (D) "PUBLIC LIBRARY" MEANS EVERY FREE ASSOCIATION, PUBLIC AND HOSPITAL
    19  LIBRARY  OR,  WITH  THE  ADVICE OF THE APPROPRIATE TRIBAL GOVERNMENT AND
    20  LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES, INDIAN LIBRARY WHICH RECEIVES ANY PORTION  OF
    21  THE  MONEYS APPROPRIATED BY THE STATE TO AID SUCH LIBRARIES, OR WHICH IS
    22  SUPPORTED IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY  TAX  LEVIED  BY  ANY  MUNICIPALITY  OR
    23  DISTRICT.
    24    2.  A  PUBLIC  LIBRARY  SHALL  HAVE A DUTY TO MAKE A REASONABLE EFFORT
    25  WITHIN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND CAPACITY TO PROVIDE  LIBRARY  MATERIAL
    26  THAT  HAS  BEEN REQUESTED BY AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A VESTED INTEREST IN THE
    27  PUBLIC LIBRARY.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD10784-06-6
        S. 10554                            2

     1    3. NO PUBLIC LIBRARY SHALL PROSCRIBE, BAN,  OR  REMOVE  ANY  BOOKS  OR
     2  OTHER MATERIALS BECAUSE OF PARTISAN OR DOCTRINAL DISAPPROVAL.
     3    4.  ANY  STAFF  MEMBER  OF  A  PUBLIC  LIBRARY,  INCLUDING A LIBRARIAN
     4  EMPLOYED BY A PUBLIC LIBRARY, SHALL BE IMMUNE FROM  CIVIL  AND  CRIMINAL
     5  LIABILITY  ARISING  FROM  GOOD  FAITH ACTIONS PERFORMED PURSUANT TO THIS
     6  SECTION.
     7    § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.