Former Sen. Jason Rapert failed several times to remove funding from libraries that have books he finds offensive. Rapert serves on the State Library Board. He came to the Friday meeting on zoom. At the meeting, he put forward several motions to withhold funding from libraries that have books that he classifies as “obscene or pornographic.”

“I am going to make this motion every single board meeting to suspend funds,” he said.

Rapert presented a list of books he found objectionable at the meeting. The titles included books with LGBTQ themes and characters like All Boys Aren't Blue and Gender Queer. Several other books are by the writer Ellen Hopkins. She writes novels written in poetry that deal with themes like teen sex and drug use. Rapert said he found the books on a website called “Take Back The Classroom.”

Jason Rapert fails to remove funding from some state libraries

*Arkansas Advocate/Screenshot From Court Documents*
Former Sen. Jason Rapert was not able to defund some state libaries.

KUAR | By Josie Lenora, Nathan Treece

An attempt by a former state lawmaker to withhold funding to some libraries failed on Friday.

Former Republican Sen. Jason Rapert was appointed by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders to the state Library Board in November. At his first meeting Friday, Rapert made a motion to withhold funding to libraries that are actively suing the state.

The lawsuit

A lawsuit was filed in June of last year over whether the state may enforce parts of Act 372. The law would require all libraries to create a restricted section for books considered “harmful to minors” and could criminally penalize librarians who do not comply. The law describes harmful items as “material or performance that depicts or describes nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, or sadomasochistic abuse.”

Rapert's attempt to halt library funding fails