Prohibits the banning of books or other materials by libraries or library systems; provides that no library or library system shall receive state aid unless such entity adopts the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights that indicates materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval or develops a written statement prohibiting the practice of banning books or other materials.
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
4859
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 6, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CUNNINGHAM -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A.
LEVENBERG, SIMON -- read once and referred to the Committee on
Libraries and Education Technology
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to prohibiting the
banning of books or other materials by libraries or library systems
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 273 of the education law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 12 to read as follows:
12. NO LIBRARY OR LIBRARY SYSTEM SHALL RECEIVE STATE AID PURSUANT TO
THIS SECTION UNLESS SUCH LIBRARY OR LIBRARY SYSTEM ADOPTS THE AMERICAN
LIBRARY ASSOCIATION'S LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS THAT INDICATES MATERIALS
SHOULD NOT BE PROSCRIBED OR REMOVED BECAUSE OF PARTISAN OR DOCTRINAL
DISAPPROVAL OR, IN THE ALTERNATIVE, DEVELOP A WRITTEN STATEMENT PROHIB-
ITING THE PRACTICE OF BANNING BOOKS OR OTHER MATERIALS WITHIN THE
LIBRARY OR LIBRARY SYSTEM. A LIBRARY OR LIBRARY SYSTEM SHALL ADOPT SUCH
BILL OF RIGHTS OR DEVELOP SUCH WRITTEN STATEMENT WITHIN NINETY DAYS OF
THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08554-01-5
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