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Long hearing on HB 324: parents, librarians, advocates split over limiting 'harmful' school materials
Summary
The committee conducted an extended hearing on HB 324, a bill that would change criminal‑statute exemptions and create a complaint-and-appeal process for material deemed harmful to minors in K–12 school libraries. Testimony from parents, librarians, civil‑liberties groups and authors highlighted sharply divided views.
The House Education Committee held a lengthy public hearing on House Bill 324, legislation that would remove the current exemption for K–12 public schools from certain obscenity statutes and establish a multi-step complaint and appeal process for materials deemed "harmful to minors" in school libraries and classrooms.
Sponsor Representative Glenn Cordelli said the bill is intended to provide parents a clear, staged process for raising concerns: a complaint to the principal, an appeal first to the superintendent and school board, and then a state‑level appeal to the State Board of Education. The bill also includes a civil-enforcement provision allowing damages and reasonable attorney fees where a final decision is not adhered to or when materials are improperly made available to minors.
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