S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
7410
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
March 25, 2025
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Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Libraries and Education Technology
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to prohibiting a cause of
action for refusing a request to remove library materials
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 275-a
to read as follows:
§ 275-A. REFUSAL OF A REQUEST TO REMOVE LIBRARY MATERIALS. 1. FOR THE
PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING
MEANINGS:
(A) "INDIVIDUAL WITH A VESTED INTEREST" MEANS ANY RESIDENT WHO IS
SERVED BY THE SCHOOL OR PUBLIC LIBRARY OR RESIDES IN A COUNTY OR MUNICI-
PALITY WHERE THE SCHOOL OR PUBLIC LIBRARY IS SITUATED.
(B) "LIBRARY MATERIAL" MEANS ANY MATERIAL INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
TO, NONFICTION AND FICTION BOOKS; MAGAZINES; REFERENCE BOOKS; SUPPLEMEN-
TARY TITLES; MULTIMEDIA AND DIGITAL MATERIAL; SOFTWARE AND INSTRUCTIONAL
MATERIAL AND OTHER MATERIAL NOT REQUIRED AS PART OF CLASSROOM INSTRUC-
TION, BELONGING TO, ON LOAN TO, OR OTHERWISE IN THE CUSTODY OF A SCHOOL
OR PUBLIC LIBRARY.
(C) "LIBRARY STAFF MEMBER" MEANS A SCHOOL OR PUBLIC LIBRARY MEDIA
SPECIALIST, LIBRARIAN, ANY CERTIFICATED OR NON-CERTIFICATED STAFF MEMBER
ASSIGNED TO DUTIES IN A SCHOOL OR PUBLIC LIBRARY, OR ANY INDIVIDUAL
CONDUCTING OR ASSISTING WITH THE FUNCTIONS OF A SCHOOL OR PUBLIC LIBRARY
MEDIA SPECIALIST OR SCHOOL OR PUBLIC LIBRARIAN.
2. WHERE AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A VESTED INTEREST OR GOVERNMENT AGENCY
REQUESTS THAT LIBRARY MATERIAL BE REMOVED FROM A SCHOOL OR PUBLIC
LIBRARY AND A LIBRARY STAFF MEMBER FAILS TO REMOVE SUCH LIBRARY MATERI-
AL, NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE CONSTRUED AS CREATING A CAUSE OF
ACTION AGAINST SUCH LIBRARY STAFF MEMBER FOR FAILING TO REMOVE SUCH
LIBRARY MATERIAL FROM A SCHOOL OR PUBLIC LIBRARY.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.