Jason Rapert fails to remove funding from some state libraries

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

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.

Arkansas committee approves amended bill to hold libraries accountable for ‘obscene’ material

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

A proposed Arkansas law that would open the door to criminal liability for the distribution of “obscene” content by school and public libraries passed a legislative panel and will go to the House floor after being amended.

Senate Bill 81 would add the loaning of library materials to the statute governing the possession and distribution of obscene material. Arkansas’ definition of obscenity is “that to the average person, applying contemporary community standards, the dominant theme of the material taken as a whole appeals to prurient interest,” with prurient meaning overtly sexual.

The bill would remove schools and public libraries from the part of Arkansas law that exempts them from prosecution “for disseminating a writing, film, slide, drawing, or other visual reproduction that is claimed to be obscene.”

Arkansas Legislature

The House Judiciary Committee discusses Senate Bill 81 on March 9, 2023.

Arkansas bill could regulate, criminalize librarians who harbor ‘obscene’ materials

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

A bill advanced by the Arkansas Senate Judiciary Committee Monday could criminalize library employees who “distribute obscene materials,” and require schools to create a committee to review challenged books.

Contrary to state law, Senate Bill 81 would also allow parents to look at their children's book checkout history. Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, the bill’s sponsor, said he felt it was a common-sense measure.

“We don't let kids smoke we don't let kids drink, we don't let them drive,” he said. “This book seeks to add library material that's inappropriate to that list of things.”

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-02-20/arkansas-bill-could-regulate-criminalize-librarians-who-harbor-obscene-materials

Chris Hickey/KUAR News

A bill advanced by a legislative committee Monday could put criminal penalties on librarians in Arkansas who provide "obscene" materials.