Committee hears hours of testimony on obscenity amendments; public comment closed on House Bill 194

The Judiciary Committee held an extended public hearing on House Bill 194, a proposal that would amend state obscenity statutes to define material "harmful to minors," remove certain current exemptions for schools and libraries, and require libraries and school districts to restrict minors' access to materials found to be harmful.

Sponsor Representative Rachel Lucas (presenting HB194) said parents and grandparents had discovered books in public schools and libraries that they considered "inappropriate" and said the bill would clarify what is harmful to minors and require parental opt-in for minors to access identified materials. "Parents should be the only people who get to make those decisions for their children," Lucas said during her presentation.

The hearing drew extensive testimony from both sides. The Wyoming Library Association, represented by President Lindsay Travis, urged a "no" vote, saying the bill removes an important exemption for librarians and would circumvent local policy and local governing boards that currently oversee library collections. "Policies already allow local boards to move or remove items," Travis testified, adding that the bill "circumvents local control" and risks removing constitutionally protected materials used for health and…