Louisiana: Stand up to Censorship! Stand up to SB7!
A Louisiana Senate committee refused to hear testimony from state citizens. Dozens of people were not allowed to speak when the Louisiana Senate Education Committee cut off testimony about SB7, a bill that would make it more difficult for Louisiana children to access library materials and burden already hard-working library staff. Before unanimously approving the legislation, the committee allowed testimony from only three people, all of them in favor of the bill and some of them relying on factually inaccurate information to support their argument.
SB7 is an attempt to impose state control over local library collection development and reconsideration policies and requires all public libraries in the state to offer tiered library cards to their patrons. The penalties for non-compliance can include the withholding of public funds, as well as prohibiting the state bond commission from even considering an application to borrow money or levy a tax that benefits the library of any parish or municipality not in compliance with the proposed law.
If passed, SB7 would add costly state oversight to our libraries and potentially violate the First Amendment rights of parents and children in Louisiana.
The law is neither needed nor welcome, and we need your help to stand against it. SB7 is headed to the Senate -- please write to your Senator. These letters do make a difference!
Take Action - Contact your Senator today!
Join Louisiana Citizens Against Censorship and Unite Against Book Bans in taking action against this bill.
Louisiana: Stand up to Censorship! Stand up to SB7!
A Louisiana Senate committee refused to hear testimony from state citizens. Dozens of people were not allowed to speak when the Louisiana Senate Education Committee cut off testimony about SB7, a bill that would make it more difficult for Louisiana children to access library materials and burden already hard-working library staff. Before unanimously approving the legislation, the committee allowed testimony from only three people, all of them in favor of the bill and some of them relying on factually inaccurate information to support their argument.
SB7 is an attempt to impose state control over local library collection development and reconsideration policies and requires all public libraries in the state to offer tiered library cards to their patrons. The penalties for non-compliance can include the withholding of public funds, as well as prohibiting the state bond commission from even considering an application to borrow money or levy a tax that benefits the library of any parish or municipality not in compliance with the proposed law.
If passed, SB7 would add costly state oversight to our libraries and potentially violate the First Amendment rights of parents and children in Louisiana.
The law is neither needed nor welcome, and we need your help to stand against it. SB7 is headed to the Senate -- please write to your Senator. These letters do make a difference!
Take Action - Contact your Senator today!
Join Louisiana Citizens Against Censorship and Unite Against Book Bans in taking action against this bill.