JB Pritzker signs bill making Illinois the first state to outlaw ‘book bans’
Julia Johnson
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Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL) signed a bill on Monday outlawing “book bans” in public libraries throughout the state.
The legislation would prohibit the restriction of materials in state libraries, as has been occurring in several red states across the country.
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House Bill 2789 requires the state librarian and the Illinois State Library to adopt the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, specifically noting the portion that “indicates materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.”
Further, libraries are tasked with prohibiting “the practice of banning specific books or resources.”
“Here in Illinois, we don’t hide from the truth, we embrace it,” said Pritzker in a press release. “Young people shouldn’t be kept from learning about the realities of our world; I want them to become critical thinkers, exposed to ideas that they disagree with, proud of what our nation has overcome, and thoughtful about what comes next. Everyone deserves to see themselves reflected in the books they read, the art they see, the history they learn. In Illinois, we are showing the nation what it really looks like to stand up for liberty.”
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This comes as states such as Florida and Texas have taken steps to restrict certain books from schools and libraries that are deemed inappropriate for children.
In a recent letter to school districts, fellow Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) cautioned schools from restricting materials. If local districts are found to have removed materials, the letter states that the attorney general may request all policies regarding the First Amendment and freedom of speech, instructional materials and their assessments, the removal of materials, any communications related to removals, and any complaints against materials.