Texas Bills to Watch: HB 5251 & SB 13, protecting children from harmful library books
March 13, 2023 | Austin, TX
We have all heard about the interactions at school board meetings regarding some of the books available to our children in school libraries. In some areas of the country, we have seen parents whose microphones are silenced when they try to read from some of those books. We have heard from well-organized opponents that we are over-reacting, closed-minded, unrealistic and conspiracy theorists. We rarely win a round and are never consulted on the process of the selection of objectionable books.
Our own Montgomery County Representative Steve Toth (HD-15) has submitted HB 5251 to match SB 13 in the Senate by Senator Angela Paxton (SD-8). SB 13 is co-authored by our own Senator Brandon Creighton (SD-4) and Senator Paul Bettencourt (SD-7).
The bill requires that parents have access to all school records for their children, including “records relating to school library materials the child obtains from a school library.” Under this bill, at the beginning of each year, the school district would be required to give parents the option to be notified, by email, EACH time a child obtains materials from the library.
The bill amends Section 33.021 of the Education Code and states the Texas State Library Archives Commission shall submit proposed standards for library services to the State Board of Education. These standards MUST include a “collection development policy” and must prohibit the retention of harmful materials. Additionally, they must comply with the Children's Internet Protection Act.
Under this legislation, the Board of Trustees of each district SHALL establish a local school advisory council to “assist the district in ensuring that local community values are reflected in each school library catalog.”
And the district MUST consider the recommendations of the local school library advisory council before making changes to a school library catalog.
Take Action
Contact your state senator to voice your support for SB 13, and contact your state representative to voice your support for HB 5251.