Illinois Governor J.B Pritzker signed a bill Monday that is meant to protect public libraries and school libraries from pressure to ban, remove or restrict access to books based on partisan or doctrinal beliefs.
House Bill 2789 says it is the state’s policy to “encourage and protect the freedoms of libraries” to choose materials without external limitations… and to protect libraries from book ban attempts.
Capitol News Illinois reports that the bill requires libraries to adopt written statements prohibiting the practice of banning books in order to be eligible for state grants.
The bill passed both state legislative chambers with only Democratic support. Some Republican state lawmakers raised concerns about the measure undermining the authority of local library boards and school boards.
