New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, signed a bill Monday that would ban public and school libraries from banning books in the state.
The law would also protect librarians who comply with the law from civil and criminal charges, according to the Associated Press.
That makes New Jersey the latest state to enact a law prohibiting book bans, joining other Democratic-led states such as Illinois and Minnesota.
Murphy signed the bill at the Princeton Public Library near Princeton University. The legislation comes in response to Republican-leaning states that in recent years have tried to remove books from school curricula and school libraries that they deem inappropriate for young children, such as those that contain sexually explicit material or center on LGBTQ+ or critical race theory .
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New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signs legislation aimed at banning book bans in public libraries and schools at the Princeton Public Library on Monday, December 9, 2024. (Associated Press)
“This is the antithesis of what you see in all these book-banning states,” the governor said. “I’m very proud to sign it, but I also recognize that America – and this is another great example – is becoming a nation of patchwork quilts. Where you live really matters.”
By law, public and school libraries are prohibited from excluding books because of the source, background, or viewpoint of the material or its author. Libraries would also be banned from censoring books simply because they are considered offensive.
The bill would allow restrictions on “developmentally inappropriate material” in books for certain age groups. The law also requires local school boards and governing bodies of public libraries to develop policies for book management and deletion of library materials, including ways to address concerns about certain books.
Lawmakers in more than 15 states have introduced bills this year that would impose harsh penalties on libraries or librarians.
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New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy speaks at the Princeton Public Library before signing legislation aimed at banning books from the state’s schools and public libraries on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. (Associated Press)
Conservative parents and activists believe the books are too sexually explicit or otherwise inappropriate, especially for young children. National groups like Free Moms say parents should have more say in what books their children read.
Librarians applauded the enactment of the New Jersey law, with Karen Grant, president of the New Jersey Association of School Librarians, saying the bill recognizes the professionalism of librarians and promotes libraries as sources of information.
“This bill will protect students’ intellectual freedom and recognize school libraries as centers of voluntary inquiry that promote student growth and development,” Grant said.
Retired librarian Martha Hickson spoke alongside the governor on Monday, describing how parents first suggested at a school board meeting in 2021 that her collection contained pedophilia and pornography. She watched in shock as they objected to the publication of the author’s novel Lawn Boys. Maia Kobabe’s illustrated memoir Genderqueer: A Memoir.
Retired librarian Martha Hickson speaks at the Princeton Public Library on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, where Governor Phil Murphy will sign a A bill aimed at banning books from being banned in schools and public libraries. (Associated Press)
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Hickson, who said her parents suggested she should be held criminally responsible for supplying the books, said on Monday that after three years of harassment it was time to celebrate.
“I’m excited,” she said. “After more than three years of harassment, this legislation brings relief to patrons and librarians.”
The law is expected to take effect within a year, although the state education commissioner and state library director may begin taking steps to implement it.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
