MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama lawmakers on Thursday advanced legislation that could see librarians prosecuted under the state’s obscenity law for providing “harmful” materials to minors, the latest in a wave of bills in Republican-led states targeting library content and decisions.
The Alabama House of Representatives voted 72-28 for the bill that now moves to the Alabama Senate. The legislation comes amid a soaring number of book challenges — often centered on LGBTQ content — and efforts in a number of states to ban drag queen story readings.
“This is an effort to protect children. It is not a Democrat bill. It’s not a Republican bill. It’s a people bill to try to protect children,” Republican Rep. Arnold Mooney, the bill’s sponsor, said during debate.
The Alabama bill removes the existing exemption for public libraries in the state’s obscenity law. It also expands the definition of prohibited sexual conduct to include any “sexual or gender oriented conduct” at K-12 public schools or public libraries that “exposes minors to persons who are dressed in sexually revealing, exaggerated, or provocative clothing or costumes, or are stripping, or engaged in lewd or lascivious dancing, presentations, or activities.”
College protests: Columbia University cancels main commencement
Forsberg gets 10th career hat trick, sets Nashville scoring record as Predators beat Blackhawks 5
What to expect in the Alaska and Wyoming Democratic presidential contests
Washington man pleads guilty to groping woman on San Diego to Seattle flight
Putin is starting his 5th term as president, more in control of Russia than ever
Government increases support for Ukraine, extends NZDF deployment
Democratic donors paid more than $1M for Biden's legal bills for special counsel probe
Trump declines to endorse national abortion ban
Yadav unbeaten ton helps Mumbai end losing streak in IPL
Lazio booed by own fans but Anderson leads from the front in 4
One natural gas transport plan killed in New Jersey as another forges ahead
Trump's abortion statement angers conservatives and gives the Biden campaign a new target