Signed by Governor Greg Abbott

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to repass a bill after having adopted a conference report that establishes sanctions within all public schools to regulate the books available to students and ban books that are deemed inappropriate in Texas.

Highlights:

• Establishes sanctions within all K-12 public schools to regulate the library material and books available to students and ban books deemed harmful or inappropriate in Texas (Sec. 1-9).

• Defines “Library material” as any book, record, file, or other instrument or document in a school district’s library catalog (Sec. 1-9).

• Specifies that the term does not include instructional material, as defined by Section 31.002, or materials procured for the TexShare consortium under Subchapter M, Chapter 441, Government Code (Sec. 1-9).

• Requires a school district or open-enrollment charter school to adopt procedures that provide for a parent of a child in the district or school to (Sec. 1-9):

• Access the catalog of available library materials at each school library in the district or school; and

• Submit to the district or school a list of library materials that the parent’s child may not be allowed to check out or otherwise access for use outside of the school library.

• Requires that the procedures adopted under Subsection (a)(2) must allow for a parent to submit a list of library materials through:

• An electronic or physical form; or

• The district’s or school’s online library catalog system.

• Authorizes the creation of local school library advisory councils, and parental rights regarding public school library catalogs and access by the parent's child to library materials (Sec. 1-9).

• Specifies that the provisions of this bill shall take effect beginning September 1, 2025 (Sec. 10).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that establishes sanctions within all public schools to regulate the books available to students and ban books that are deemed inappropriate in Texas.

Highlights:

• Establishes sanctions within all K-12 public schools to regulate the library material and books available to students and ban books deemed harmful or inappropriate in Texas (Sec. 1-9).

• Defines “Library material” as any book, record, file, or other instrument or document in a school district’s library catalog (Sec. 1-9).

• Specifies that the term does not include instructional material, as defined by Section 31.002, or materials procured for the TexShare consortium under Subchapter M, Chapter 441, Government Code (Sec. 1-9).

• Requires a school district or open-enrollment charter school to adopt procedures that provide for a parent of a child in the district or school to (Sec. 1-9):

• Access the catalog of available library materials at each school library in the district or school; and

• Submit to the district or school a list of library materials that the parent’s child may not be allowed to check out or otherwise access for use outside of the school library.

• Requires that the procedures adopted under Subsection (a)(2) must allow for a parent to submit a list of library materials through:

• An electronic or physical form; or

• The district’s or school’s online library catalog system.

• Authorizes the creation of local school library advisory councils, and parental rights regarding public school library catalogs and access by the parent's child to library materials (Sec. 1-9).

• Specifies that the provisions of this bill shall take effect beginning September 1, 2025 (Sec. 10).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that establishes sanctions within all public schools to regulate the books available to students and ban books that are deemed inappropriate in Texas.

Highlights:

• Establishes sanctions within all K-12 public schools to regulate the library material and books available to students and ban books deemed harmful or inappropriate in Texas (Sec. 1-9).

• Defines “Library material” as any book, record, file, or other instrument or document in a school district’s library catalog (Sec. 1-9).

• Specifies that the term does not include instructional material, as defined by Section 31.002, or materials procured for the TexShare consortium under Subchapter M, Chapter 441, Government Code (Sec. 1-9).

• Requires a school district or open-enrollment charter school to adopt procedures that provide for a parent of a child in the district or school to (Sec. 1-9):

• Access the catalog of available library materials at each school library in the district or school; and

• Submit to the district or school a list of library materials that the parent’s child may not be allowed to check out or otherwise access for use outside of the school library.

• Requires that the procedures adopted under Subsection (a)(2) must allow for a parent to submit a list of library materials through:

• An electronic or physical form; or

• The district’s or school’s online library catalog system.

• Authorizes the creation of local school library advisory councils, and parental rights regarding public school library catalogs and access by the parent's child to library materials (Sec. 1-9).

• Specifies that the provisions of this bill shall take effect beginning September 1, 2025 (Sec. 10).

Full Bill Text