Freedom to Read Act Signed Into Law: New Jersey Stands Against Book Banning

Legislation Will Prevent Book Banning at New Jersey Libraries

Legislation protecting the rights of students, parents, and communities and ensuring free access to age-appropriate books and learning materials at schools and public libraries was signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy today. Bill A3446, more commonly known as the “Freedom to Read Act,” also protects library media specialists and librarians from harassment. Assemblywomen Mitchelle Drulis and Shavonda E. Sumter and Assemblyman Herb Conaway sponsored the bill.

Libraries play a unique role in promoting intellectual freedom, providing equitable access to learning resources, and promoting democracy by providing services to all regardless of race, ethnicity, creed, age, ability, gender, or socio-economic status.

Bill A3446 will require local school boards and governing bodies of public libraries to establish policies for curation of library materials, with support from the Department of Education, the State Librarian, the NJ Association of School Librarians, and the NJ School Boards Association. It will also provide for a fair system of review for any concerned parent or community member to seek the review or removal of materials from a library. However, it will also protect librarians from legal action if they engage in good faith actions to provide services.

“The freedom to read is essential for a healthy democracy and foundational for lifelong learning. This law will provide protections for that right as well as ensure community input for clear standards regarding age-appropriate material in schools and public libraries,” said Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin (D-Middlesex). “Local school and library boards, accountable to their constituents, will have a fair, standardized process to review requests for changes, free from intimidation. I thank the sponsors of this legislation as well as all the educators and librarians who have dedicated their lives to sharing knowledge and exchanging ideas. We all benefit from their work.”

The bill sponsors offered the following comments:

“School libraries and public libraries are centers for voluntary inquiry, playing a unique role in promoting intellectual freedom, providing equitable access to learning resources, and promoting democracy,” said Assemblywoman Drulis (D-Somerset, Mercer, Middlesex, Hunterdon). “This bill does not remove parental rights; instead, it provides a structured, transparent process for parents to challenge materials they may find inappropriate. Parents will continue to have the right to decide what their own child reads, but one parent should not have the ability to solely determine what another parents’ child can read.”

“Access to diverse literary resources is fundamental to fostering intellectual growth and cultural understanding,” said Assemblywoman Sumter (D-Bergen, Passaic). “We must protect this right and ensure equitable access to diverse perspectives. These rights extend beyond the school door and into our public libraries. We cannot, must not, and will not compromise on equitable access to these vital resources.”

“Today, we are taking significant steps to ensure that our school libraries remain a stronghold of knowledge and intellectual diversity, reflecting a commitment to protecting the rights of students to access a broad range of ideas while respecting their developmental needs,” said Assemblyman Conaway (D-Burlington). “By implementing a thorough review process, we fortify our educational system against the suppression of certain viewpoints while simultaneously providing safeguards for librarians and educators acting in good faith.”

Brett Bonfield, Executive Director of the New Jersey Library Association (NJLA), said the following when the bill advanced out of the Assembly Education Committee in June:

“This bill ensures that every New Jersey resident will continue to have the freedom to read, both for education and entertainment,” said Bonfield. “This freedom is supported by the Bill of Rights, decades of precedent, and the robust libraries that serve K-12 schools, colleges and universities, and New Jersey communities.”