HB 2439
Initials CH Page 1 Transmitted
ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Fifty-fifth Legislature
Second Regular Session
House: ED DPA 6-4-0-1 | 3rd Read 31-28-1-0
Senate: ED DP 5-3-0-0 | 3rd Read 16-12-2-0
Final Pass: 31-26-3-0
HB 2439: school library books; parental review
NOW: school library; review; policy
Sponsor: Representative Pingerelli, LD 21
Transmitted to the Governor
Overview
Instructs a school district governing board (governing board) and charter school governing body
(governing body) to adopt procedures, beginning January 1, 2023, that provide parents access to
a school's library collection and a list of books and materials their child borrows. Establishes public
review and parental notification requirements for books purchased after January 1, 2023 for
school libraries.
History
Governing boards must have policies to promote the involvement of parents of children enrolled
within the school district. Statute dictates that these policies include procedures by which parents
may: 1) learn about the course of study for their children and review learning materials; 2)
withdraw their children from an activity or class if they object to any learning material or activity;
and 3) learn about parental rights and responsibilities (A.R.S. § 15-102).
For common schools and high schools, a governing board must approve the basic textbook for
each course before implementing the course. If a course does not include a basic textbook, the
governing board must approve all supplemental books used in the course. All meetings of
committees authorized for the purposes of textbook review and selection or approval must be
open to the public. A copy of each textbook must also be made available at the school district
office for public review for at least 60 days before the selection or approval of the textbook (A.R.S.
§§ 15-721, 15-722).
Provisions
1. Directs a governing board and governing body, beginning January 1, 2023, to adopt
procedures, in consultation with parents, teachers and administrators, that:
a) Provide parents access to a school's library collection of available books and materials;
and
b) Allow parents to receive a list of books and materials borrowed from the library by their
children. (Sec. 1, 2)
2. Includes, in the procedures by which parents may learn about parental rights and
responsibilities a governing board must adopt, the right to public review of library books and
materials. (Sec. 1)
3. Mandates a governing board and governing body:
a) Make available on the school district's or charter school's website, for public review and
for at least 60 days after purchase, a list of all books and materials purchased after
January 1, 2023 for any of the school libraries; and
☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal Note HB 2439
Initials CH Page 2 Transmitted
b) Ensure that each school notifies the parents of enrolled pupils of the opening and closing
dates of the public review period within seven school days before the opening date. (Sec.
2, 3)
4. Instructs each district school or charter school site to, for public review and for at least 60 days
after purchase, make available on the school's website a list of all books and materials
purchased after January 1, 2023 for the school library. (Sec. 2, 3)
5. Excludes the purchase of a book or material that is intended to replace a lost or damaged
book from public review requirements. (Sec. 2, 3, 4)
6. Exempts district schools and charter schools without a full-time library media specialist or an
equivalent position and school district libraries that have agreements with county free library
districts, municipal libraries, nonprofit and public libraries, tribal libraries, private schools and
tribal schools from:
a) Governing board or governing body procedures that provide parents access to a school's
library collection of available books and materials and allow parents to receive a list of
books and materials borrowed from the library by their children; and
b) Public review and parental notification requirements regarding books and materials
purchased after July 1, 2023 for a school library. (Sec. 1, 2, 3, 4)
7. Makes technical changes. (Sec. 1, 3, 4)
8. Makes conforming changes. (Sec. 1)