Bill to regulate libraries passes Arkansas House

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

A bill to regulate libraries passed a final vote in the Arkansas House of Representatives Wednesday.

Senate Bill 81 will create an identical book challenge policy for all libraries which can be appealed up to city and county government entities. The bill would criminalize librarians who furnish books deemed to be obscene.

Rep. Justin Gonzales, R-Okolona, presented the bill. He said the criticisms he had gotten on the bill were based on misunderstandings.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-03-16/bill-to-regulate-libraries-passes-arkansas-house

Sarah Kellogg/KUAR News

Senate Bill 81, a bill to regulate libraries in Arkansas, moved through its final legislative hurdle Wednesday.

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.

Controversial bills move forward in legislature

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

State senators moved two controversial bills forward in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday (Feb. 20).

SB 199, by Sen. Gary Stubblefield, R-Branch, creates a “private right of action” allowing people to sue individual healthcare providers after receiving transgender medical treatment if they can prove “injury.” The bill was amended to shorten the period of time for a civil action to be filed from 30 years to 15 years. Senate Judiciary members, who have previously approved the bill, moved it forward again to the full Senate.

The majority of the committee’s time was spent debating SB 81, by Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro. His bill would create a system for local oversight of materials available at public and school libraries. On Monday, Sullivan amended his bill to remove language that he said would clarify if someone intentionally violated a decision made by a review board.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/02/controversial-bills-move-forward-in-legislature/