KUAR | By Josie Lenora
A bill to give the Arkansas Department of Education oversight over the State Library Board and the Arkansas Educational Television Commission cleared another hurdle Monday.
It's unclear how this bill will impact libraries in the state or Arkansas PBS, which are overseen by the independent boards, but the plan comes out of ongoing frustration from state Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro, with both organizations.
Libraries
In the 2023 legislative session, Sullivan passed a law that would criminalize librarians for furnishing materials to minors that are “harmful.” Every library is already banned from offering obscenity, but harmful to minors is a lower and more vague standard that could be interpreted to mean many things.
Bill to change Arkansas PBS and state library board oversight passes Senate
Chris Hickey/Little Rock Public Radio
The Arkansas Senate chamber is seen in this file photo.
