CT
Connecticut Senate Bill SB01271

Connecticut 2025 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB01271 Compare Versions

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3-LCO 1 of 13
3+LCO No. 4244 1 of 12
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5-General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 1271
5+General Assembly Raised Bill No. 1271
66 January Session, 2025
7+LCO No. 4244
78
9+
10+Referred to Committee on COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN
11+
12+
13+Introduced by:
14+(KID)
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1219 AN ACT CONCERNING SCHOOL AND PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
1320 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
1421 Assembly convened:
1522
16-Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) As used in this section: 1
17-(1) "Library and other educational material" means any material 2
18-belonging to, on loan to or otherwise in the custody of a school library 3
19-media center, including, but not limited to, nonfiction and fiction books, 4
20-magazines, reference books, supplementary titles, multimedia and 5
21-digital material, software and other material not required as part of 6
22-classroom instruction. 7
23-(2) "School library staff member" means a school library media 8
24-specialist, school librarian, any certificated or noncertificated staff 9
25-member whose assignment is in the school library or any individual 10
26-carrying out or assisting with the functions of a school library media 11
27-specialist or school librarian. 12
28-(3) "Individual with a vested interest" means any school staff member 13
29-employed by a local or regional board of education, parent or guardian 14
30-of a student currently enrolled in a school at the time a reconsideration 15
31-form is filed under subsection (e) of this section and any student 16
32-currently enrolled in a school at the time a reconsideration form is filed 17
33-under subsection (e) of this section. 18 Substitute Bill No. 1271
23+Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2025) (a) As used in this section and 1
24+sections 2 and 3 of this act: 2
25+(1) "Library and other educational material" means any material 3
26+belonging to, on loan to or otherwise in the custody of a school library 4
27+media center, including, but not limited to, nonfiction and fiction books, 5
28+magazines, reference books, supplementary titles, multimedia and 6
29+digital material, software and other material not required as part of 7
30+classroom instruction. 8
31+(2) "School library staff member" means a school library media 9
32+specialist, school librarian, any certificated or noncertificated staff 10
33+member whose assignment is in the school library or any individual 11
34+carrying out or assisting with the functions of a school library media 12
35+specialist or school librarian. 13
36+(3) "Individual with a vested interest" means any school staff member 14
37+employed by a local or regional board of education, parent or guardian 15
38+Raised Bill No. 1271
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3540
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3741
38-(4) "Remove" means deliberately taking library material out of a 19
39-library's collection. "Remove" does not include the process of clearing 20
40-such collection of any materials that are no longer useful. 21
41-(b) Each local and regional board of education, after consulting with 22
42-the superintendent of schools, the director of curriculum and a librarian 23
43-employed by such board, shall adopt a (1) collection development and 24
44-maintenance policy, (2) library display and program policy, and (3) 25
45-library material review and reconsideration policy. Each such policy 26
46-shall ensure that all library materials are evaluated and made accessible 27
47-in accordance with the protections against discrimination set forth in 28
48-section 10-15c of the general statutes, including, but not limited to, 29
49-discrimination based on race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, 30
50-national origin, sexual orientation or disability. In developing each such 31
51-policy, the board shall have control over the content of each such policy, 32
52-provided such policies are in accordance with the provisions of this 33
53-section. Each local and regional board of education shall review, and 34
54-update as necessary, each such policy every five years. 35
55-(c) The collection development and maintenance policy shall, at a 36
56-minimum: 37
57-(1) Recognize that library and other educational materials should (A) 38
58-be provided for the interest, information and enlightenment of all 39
59-students, and (B) represent a wide range of varied and diverging 40
60-viewpoints in the collection as a whole; 41
61-(2) Require student access to age-appropriate and grade-level-42
62-appropriate material, and provide access to library and other 43
63-educational material that is relevant to the research, independent 44
64-reading interests and educational needs of students based on a student's 45
65-age, development or grade level; 46
66-(3) Recognize the importance of the school library media center as a 47
67-place for voluntary inquiry, the dissemination of information and ideas 48
68-and the promotion of free expression and free access to ideas by 49
69-students; 50 Substitute Bill No. 1271
42+LCO No. 4244 2 of 12
43+
44+of a student currently enrolled in a school at the time a reconsideration 16
45+form is filed under section 3 of this act, and any student currently 17
46+enrolled in a school at the time a reconsideration form is filed under 18
47+section 3 of this act. 19
48+Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a Library 20
49+Working Group to develop (1) model written policies regarding 21
50+collection development and maintenance, library display and programs 22
51+and material review and reconsideration, and (2) a uniform request for 23
52+review and reconsideration form for school library media centers for use 24
53+by local and regional boards of education. 25
54+(b) The Library Working Group shall consist of the following 26
55+members: 27
56+(1) One appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate who 28
57+shall be the executive director of the Cooperating Library Services Unit, 29
58+or the executive director's designee; 30
59+(2) One appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives 31
60+who shall be the president of the Connecticut Association of School 32
61+Librarians, or the president's designee; 33
62+(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate who shall be 34
63+the executive director of the Connecticut Association of Boards of 35
64+Education, or the executive director's designee; 36
65+(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of 37
66+Representatives who shall be the president of the Connecticut Library 38
67+Association, or the president's designee; 39
68+(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate who shall be 40
69+the director of the Center for Literary Research at the Department of 41
70+Education, or the director's designee; and 42
71+(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of 43
72+Representatives who shall be the immediate former president of the 44
73+Raised Bill No. 1271
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72-LCO 3 of 13
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74-(4) Acknowledge that a school library media specialist is 51
75-professionally trained to curate and develop a collection that provides 52
76-students with access to the widest array of age-appropriate and grade-53
77-level-appropriate library and other educational material; and 54
78-(5) Establish a procedure for a certified school library media specialist 55
79-to continually review library and other educational material within a 56
80-school library media center using professionally accepted standards, 57
81-which shall include, but need not be limited to, the material's relevance, 58
82-physical condition of the material, availability of duplicates or copies of 59
83-the material, availability of more recent age-appropriate or grade-level-60
84-appropriate material and continued demand for the material. 61
85-(d) The library display and program policy shall, at a minimum: 62
86-(1) Recognize that library displays should (A) be provided for the 63
87-interest, information and enlightenment of all students, (B) represent a 64
88-wide range of varied and diverging viewpoints, (C) require student 65
89-access to age-appropriate and grade-level-appropriate content, and (D) 66
90-provide access to content that is relevant to the research, independent 67
91-interests and educational needs of students; 68
92-(2) Recognize the importance of displays and student programs as 69
93-resources for voluntary inquiry and the dissemination of information 70
94-and ideas and to promote free expression and free access to ideas by 71
95-students; and 72
96-(3) Acknowledge that a school library media specialist is 73
97-professionally trained to curate and develop displays and programs that 74
98-provide students with access to the widest array of age-appropriate and 75
99-grade-level-appropriate library and other educational material. 76
100-(e) The library material review and reconsideration policy shall, at a 77
101-minimum: 78
102-(1) Establish a process for individuals with a vested interest to 79
103-challenge any library and other educational materials, display or 80 Substitute Bill No. 1271
77+LCO No. 4244 3 of 12
78+
79+Connecticut Association of School Librarians, or the former president's 45
80+designee. 46
81+(c) All initial appointments to the working group shall be made not 47
82+later than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy 48
83+shall be filled by the appointing authority. 49
84+(d) The president pro tempore of the Senate and the speaker of the 50
85+House of Representatives shall select the chairpersons from among the 51
86+members of the working group. Such chairpersons shall schedule the 52
87+first meeting of the working group, which shall be held not later than 53
88+sixty days after the effective date of this section. 54
89+(e) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the 55
90+General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children 56
91+shall serve as administrative staff of the working group. 57
92+(f) Not later than March 1, 2026, the working group shall submit the 58
93+model written policies regarding collection development and 59
94+maintenance, library display and programs and material review and 60
95+reconsideration, and a uniform request for review and reconsideration 61
96+form for school library media centers, to the joint standing committee of 62
97+the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children, 63
98+in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. 64
99+(g) The working group shall convene every fifth year to (1) revise and 65
100+update the model written policies and the uniform request for review 66
101+and reconsideration form, and (2) distribute the updated model written 67
102+policies and uniform request for review and reconsideration form to 68
103+local and regional boards of education with information explaining any 69
104+changes to such model written policies. 70
105+Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2025) (a) Each local and regional board 71
106+of education shall adopt, in accordance with the provisions of this 72
107+section, a (1) collection development and maintenance policy, (2) library 73
108+program and display policy, and (3) library material review and 74
109+Raised Bill No. 1271
104110
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108-student program; 81
109-(2) Limit consideration of requests to reconsider and remove 82
110-material, displays or student programs to the parents and guardians of 83
111-students and eligible students currently enrolled in the school or school 84
112-district; 85
113-(3) Require that no library and other educational material, display or 86
114-program shall be removed from library media centers, or programs be 87
115-cancelled, because of the origin, background or viewpoints expressed in 88
116-such material, display or program, or because of the origin, background 89
117-or viewpoints of the creator of such material, display or program; 90
118-(4) Require that library and other educational materials, displays and 91
119-student programs shall only be excluded for legitimate pedagogical 92
120-purposes or for professionally accepted standards of collection 93
121-maintenance practices as adopted in the collection development and 94
122-maintenance policy or the display and program policy; 95
123-(5) Require that any process for petitioners to challenge any library 96
124-and other educational material, display or student program shall neither 97
125-favor nor disfavor any group based on protected characteristics; 98
126-(6) Provide for the creation of a request for reconsideration form that 99
127-may be submitted by an individual with a vested interest to the 100
128-principal of the school in which the library and other educational 101
129-material is being challenged to initiate a review of such material. The 102
130-form shall require such individual to specify which portion or portions 103
131-of such material such individual objects to and provide an explanation 104
132-of the reasons for such objection. Such individual shall not submit a 105
133-request for reconsideration form without including such individual's 106
134-full legal name, address and telephone number; 107
135-(7) Require the principal, or the principal's designee, to promptly 108
136-forward the request for reconsideration to the superintendent of schools 109
137-for the school district. The superintendent, or the superintendent's 110
138-designee, shall appoint a review committee consisting of: (A) The 111 Substitute Bill No. 1271
113+LCO No. 4244 4 of 12
114+
115+reconsideration policy. Each such policy shall ensure that all library 75
116+materials are evaluated and made accessible in accordance with the 76
117+protections against discrimination set forth in section 10-15c of the 77
118+general statutes, including, but not limited to, discrimination based on 78
119+race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin, sexual 79
120+orientation or disability. In developing each such policy, the board shall 80
121+have control over the content of each such policy, provided such board 81
122+has reviewed and considered the model policies developed by the 82
123+Library Working Group pursuant to section 2 of this act. 83
124+(b) The collection development and maintenance policy shall, at a 84
125+minimum: 85
126+(1) Recognize that library and other educational materials should (A) 86
127+be provided for the interest, information and enlightenment of all 87
128+students, and (B) represent a wide range of varied and diverging 88
129+viewpoints in the collection as a whole; 89
130+(2) Require student access to age-appropriate and grade-level-90
131+appropriate material, and provide access to library and other 91
132+educational material that is relevant to the research, independent 92
133+reading interests and educational needs of students based on a student's 93
134+age, development or grade level; 94
135+(3) Recognize the importance of the school library media center as a 95
136+place for voluntary inquiry, the dissemination of information and ideas 96
137+and the promotion of free expression and free access to ideas by 97
138+students; 98
139+(4) Acknowledge that a school library media specialist is 99
140+professionally trained to curate and develop a collection that provides 100
141+students with access to the widest array of age-appropriate and grade-101
142+level-appropriate library and other educational material; and 102
143+(5) Establish a procedure for a certified school library media specialist 103
144+to continually review library and other educational material within a 104
145+Raised Bill No. 1271
139146
140147
141-LCO 5 of 13
142148
143-superintendent, or the superintendent's designee, (B) the principal of the 112
144-school in which the library and other educational material is being 113
145-challenged, or the principal's designee, (C) the director of curriculum, 114
146-or a person in an equivalent position, employed by such board, (D) a 115
147-representative from the local or regional board of education, (E) at least 116
148-one grade-level-appropriate teacher familiar with the library material, 117
149-provided the teacher selected is not the individual who submitted the 118
150-form, (F) a parent or guardian of a student age thirteen years or older 119
151-enrolled in the school district, provided the parent or guardian selected 120
152-is not the individual who submitted the form, (G) a parent or guardian 121
153-of a student age fourteen years or older enrolled in the school district, 122
154-provided the parent or guardian selected is not the individual who 123
155-submitted the form, and (H) a certified school librarian employed by 124
156-such board or employed by another board of education in the state. In 125
157-cases where such form is submitted by a student enrolled in grades nine 126
158-to twelve, inclusive, and when appropriate and at the discretion of the 127
159-superintendent, a student enrolled in grades nine to twelve, inclusive, 128
160-may serve on the review committee if such student did not submit the 129
161-reconsideration form, provided the superintendent consults with the 130
162-principal of the school involved in such reconsideration request prior to 131
163-making this determination whether to include such student on the 132
164-review committee; 133
165-(8) Require that any library and other educational material being 134
166-challenged remain available in the school library media center 135
167-according to such material's catalog record and be available for a 136
168-student to reserve, check out or access until a final decision is made by 137
169-the review committee; 138
170-(9) Require the review committee to evaluate the request for 139
171-reconsideration form, read the challenged material in its entirety, 140
172-evaluate the challenged material against the school district's collection 141
173-development and maintenance policy and make a written decision on 142
174-whether or not to remove the challenged material not later than sixty 143
175-school days from the date of receiving such request. The review 144
176-committee shall provide a copy of the committee's decision and report 145 Substitute Bill No. 1271
149+LCO No. 4244 5 of 12
150+
151+school library media center using professionally accepted standards, 105
152+which shall include, but not be limited to, the material's relevance, the 106
153+condition of the material, the availability of duplicates or copies of the 107
154+material, the availability of more recent age-appropriate or grade-level-108
155+appropriate material and the continued demand for the material. 109
156+(c) The library display and program policy shall, at a minimum: 110
157+(1) Recognize that library displays should (A) be provided for the 111
158+interest, information and enlightenment of all students, (B) represent a 112
159+wide range of varied and diverging viewpoints, (C) require student 113
160+access to age-appropriate and grade-level-appropriate content, and (D) 114
161+provide access to content that is relevant to the research, independent 115
162+interests and educational needs of students; 116
163+(2) Recognize the importance of displays and student programs as 117
164+resources for voluntary inquiry and the dissemination of information 118
165+and ideas and to promote free expression and free access to ideas by 119
166+students; and 120
167+(3) Acknowledge that a school library media specialist is 121
168+professionally trained to curate and develop displays and programs that 122
169+provide students with access to the widest array of age-appropriate and 123
170+grade-level-appropriate library and other educational material. 124
171+(d) The material review and reconsideration policy shall, at a 125
172+minimum: 126
173+(1) Limit consideration of requests to reconsider and remove 127
174+material, displays or student programs to the parents and guardians of 128
175+students and eligible students currently enrolled in the school or school 129
176+district; 130
177+(2) Require that no library and other educational material, display or 131
178+program shall be removed from library media centers, or programs be 132
179+cancelled, because of the origin, background or viewpoints expressed in 133
180+Raised Bill No. 1271
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181-to the individual with a vested interest who submitted the form and to 146
182-the principal of the school; 147
183-(10) Permit the individual with a vested interest who submitted the 148
184-request for reconsideration form to appeal the review committee's 149
185-decision to the local or regional board of education for the school 150
186-district. The board, after evaluating the challenged material under the 151
187-school district's collection development and maintenance policy, shall 152
188-(A) provide a written statement of the reasons for the reconsideration of 153
189-or refusal to reconsider the library and other educational material, (B) 154
190-provide any final decision that is contrary to the decision of the review 155
191-committee, and (C) publish such reasons or decision on the Internet web 156
192-site of the school district; 157
193-(11) Provide that once a decision has been made by the review 158
194-committee on any library and other educational material, such material 159
195-cannot be subject to a new request for review and reconsideration for a 160
196-period of three years; 161
197-(12) Permit a school district to consolidate any requests for review 162
198-and reconsideration of the same challenged library and other 163
199-educational material; and 164
200-(13) Prohibit the removal, exclusion or censoring of any book on the 165
201-sole basis that a person with a vested interest finds such book offensive. 166
202-(f) Any school library media specialist or school library staff member 167
203-who, in good faith, implements the policies described in this section 168
204-shall be immune from any liability, civil or criminal, that might 169
205-otherwise be incurred or imposed and shall have the same immunity 170
206-with respect to any judicial proceeding that results from such 171
207-implementation. 172
208-(g) Any school library media specialist, school library staff member, 173
209-teacher, administrator, school staff member or local or regional board of 174
210-education member may bring an action for emotional distress, 175
211-defamation, libel, slander, damage to reputation or any other relevant 176 Substitute Bill No. 1271
184+LCO No. 4244 6 of 12
185+
186+such material, display or program, or because of the origin, background 134
187+or viewpoints of the creator of such material, display or program; 135
188+(3) Require that library and other educational materials, displays and 136
189+student programs may only be excluded for legitimate pedagogical 137
190+purposes or for professionally accepted standards of collection 138
191+maintenance practices as adopted in the collection development and 139
192+maintenance policy or the display and program policy; 140
193+(4) Require that any process for petitioners to challenge any library 141
194+and other educational material, display or student program shall neither 142
195+favor nor disfavor any group based on protected characteristics; 143
196+(5) Provide for the creation of a request for reconsideration form, 144
197+based on the model reconsideration form developed by the Library 145
198+Working Group pursuant to section 2 of this act, that may be submitted 146
199+by an individual with a vested interest to the principal of the school in 147
200+which the library and other educational material is being challenged to 148
201+initiate a review of such material. The form shall require such individual 149
202+to specify which portions of such material such individual objects to and 150
203+provide an explanation of the reasons for such objection; 151
204+(6) Require the principal, or the principal's designee, to promptly 152
205+forward the request for reconsideration to the superintendent of schools 153
206+for the school district. The superintendent, or the superintendent's 154
207+designee, shall appoint a review committee consisting of: (A) The 155
208+superintendent, or the superintendent's designee, (B) the principal of the 156
209+school in which the library or other educational material is being 157
210+challenged, or the principal's designee, (C) the school library media 158
211+specialist for the school or a school library media specialist from another 159
212+school in the school district or, if there is no school library media 160
213+specialist employed by the local or regional board of education for the 161
214+school district, a school library media specialist from a neighboring 162
215+school district, (D) the director of the local public library, or the 163
216+director's designee, (E) a representative from the local or regional board 164
217+Raised Bill No. 1271
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216-tort against any person who harasses such school library media 177
217-specialist, school library staff member, teacher, administrator, school 178
218-staff member or local or regional board of education member for 179
219-implementing the policies described in this section. 180
220-(h) Each local and regional board of education shall make the (1) 181
221-collection development and maintenance policy, (2) library program 182
222-and display policy, and (3) library material review and reconsideration 183
223-policy adopted under this section available on the board's or governing 184
224-body's Internet web site, or, if no such Internet web site exists, inside the 185
225-school library or included as part of such school library's policy manual. 186
226-Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) As used in this section: 187
227-(1) "Library and other educational material" means any material 188
228-belonging to, on loan to or otherwise in the custody of a public library, 189
229-including, but not limited to, nonfiction and fiction books, magazines, 190
230-reference books, supplementary titles, multimedia and digital material 191
231-and software. 192
232-(2) "Public library staff member" means a public library media 193
233-specialist, public librarian, any certificated or noncertificated staff 194
234-member whose assignment is in the public library or any individual 195
235-carrying out or assisting with the functions of a public library media 196
236-specialist. 197
237-(3) "Individual with a vested interest" means any individual residing 198
238-in the town in which the public library is located or the town in which 199
239-the contract library is located at the time a reconsideration form is filed 200
240-under subsection (e) of this section. 201
241-(4) "Remove" means deliberately taking library material out of a 202
242-library's collection. "Remove" does not include the process of clearing 203
243-such collection of any materials that are no longer useful. 204
244-(b) The board of trustees, or other governing body, of each public 205
245-library shall adopt a (1) collection development and maintenance policy, 206 Substitute Bill No. 1271
221+LCO No. 4244 7 of 12
222+
223+of education, (F) at least one grade-level-appropriate teacher familiar 165
224+with the library material, provided the teacher selected is not the 166
225+individual who submitted the form, and (G) a parent or guardian of a 167
226+student enrolled in the school district, provided the parent or guardian 168
227+selected is not the individual who submitted the form. In cases where 169
228+such form is submitted by a student enrolled in grades nine to twelve, 170
229+inclusive, and when appropriate and at the discretion of the 171
230+superintendent, a student enrolled in grades nine to twelve, inclusive, 172
231+may serve on the review committee if such student did not submit the 173
232+reconsideration form, provided the superintendent consults with the 174
233+principal of the school involved in such reconsideration request prior to 175
234+making this determination whether to include such student on the 176
235+review committee; 177
236+(7) Require that any library and other educational material being 178
237+challenged remain available in the school library media center 179
238+according to such material's catalog record and be available for a 180
239+student to reserve, check out or access until a final decision is made by 181
240+the review committee; 182
241+(8) Require the review committee to evaluate the request for 183
242+reconsideration form, read the challenged material in its entirety, 184
243+evaluate the challenged material against the school district's collection 185
244+development and maintenance policy and make a written decision on 186
245+whether or not to remove the challenged material not later than sixty 187
246+school days from the date of receiving such request. A copy of the 188
247+committee's decision and report shall be provided to the individual with 189
248+a vested interest who submitted the form and to the principal of the 190
249+school; 191
250+(9) Permit the individual with a vested interest who submitted the 192
251+request for reconsideration form to appeal the review committee's 193
252+decision to the local or regional board of education for the school 194
253+district. The board shall (A) provide a written statement of the reasons 195
254+for the reconsideration or nonreconsideration of the library and other 196
255+Raised Bill No. 1271
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247257
248-LCO 8 of 13
249258
250-(2) library display and program policy, and (3) library material review 207
251-and reconsideration policy. Each such policy shall ensure that all library 208
252-materials are evaluated and made accessible in accordance with the 209
253-protections against discrimination set forth in section 46a-64 of the 210
254-general statutes, including, but not limited to, discrimination based on 211
255-race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin, sexual 212
256-orientation or disability. In developing each such policy, the board shall 213
257-have control over the content of each such policy, provided such policies 214
258-are in accordance with the provisions of this section. The board of 215
259-trustees or other governing body shall review, and update as necessary, 216
260-each such policy every five years. 217
261-(c) The collection development and maintenance policy shall, at a 218
262-minimum: 219
263-(1) Recognize that library materials should (A) be provided for the 220
264-interest, information and enlightenment of all residents, and (B) 221
265-represent a wide range of varied and diverging viewpoints in the 222
266-collection as a whole; 223
267-(2) Recognize the importance of the public library as a place for 224
268-voluntary inquiry, the dissemination of information and ideas and the 225
269-promotion of free expression and free access to ideas by residents; 226
270-(3) Acknowledge that librarians are professionally trained to curate 227
271-and develop a collection that provides resident with access to the widest 228
272-array of library and other educational materials; and 229
273-(4) Establish a procedure for a librarian to continually review library 230
274-and other educational material within a public library using 231
275-professionally accepted standards, which shall include, but not be 232
276-limited to, the material's relevance, the physical condition of the 233
277-material, the availability of duplicates or copies of the material, the 234
278-availability of more recent age-appropriate or grade-level-appropriate 235
279-material and the continued demand for the material. 236
280-(d) The library display and program policy shall, at a minimum: 237 Substitute Bill No. 1271
259+LCO No. 4244 8 of 12
260+
261+educational material, (B) provide any final decision that is contrary to 197
262+the decision of the review committee, and (C) publish such reasons or 198
263+decision on the Internet web site of the school district; 199
264+(10) Provide that once a decision has been made by the review 200
265+committee on any library and other educational material, such material 201
266+cannot be subject to a new request for review and reconsideration for a 202
267+period of three years; and 203
268+(11) Permit a school district to consolidate any requests for review 204
269+and reconsideration of the same challenged library and other 205
270+educational material. 206
271+(e) Any school library media specialist or school library staff member 207
272+who, in good faith, implements the policies described in this section 208
273+shall be immune from any liability, civil or criminal, that might 209
274+otherwise be incurred or imposed and shall have the same immunity 210
275+with respect to any judicial proceeding that results from such 211
276+implementation. 212
277+(f) Any school library media specialist, school library staff member, 213
278+teacher, administrator, school staff member or local or regional board of 214
279+education member may bring an action for emotional distress, 215
280+defamation, libel, slander, damage to reputation or any other relevant 216
281+tort against any person who harasses such school library media 217
282+specialist, school library staff member, teacher, administrator, school 218
283+staff member or local or regional board of education member for 219
284+implementing the policies described in this section. 220
285+Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2025) (a) The board of trustees, or other 221
286+governing body, of each public library shall adopt, in accordance with 222
287+the provisions of this section, a (1) collection development and 223
288+maintenance policy, (2) library program and display policy, and (3) 224
289+library material review and reconsideration policy. Each such policy 225
290+shall ensure that all library materials are evaluated and made accessible 226
291+in accordance with the protections against discrimination set forth in 227
292+Raised Bill No. 1271
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285-(1) Recognize that library displays should (A) be provided for the 238
286-interest, information and enlightenment of all residents, (B) represent a 239
287-wide range of varied and diverging viewpoints, and (C) provide access 240
288-to content that is relevant to the research, independent interests and 241
289-educational needs of residents; 242
290-(2) Recognize the importance of displays and programs as resources 243
291-for voluntary inquiry and the dissemination of information and ideas 244
292-and to promote free expression and free access to ideas by residents; 245
293-(3) Acknowledge that librarians are professionally trained to curate 246
294-and develop displays and programs; and 247
295-(4) Differentiate between library displays and programs that are 248
296-created or curated by librarians or staff members of the public library 249
297-and those displays and programs created by members of the public or 250
298-community groups and exhibited in the public library. 251
299-(e) The library material review and reconsideration policy shall, at a 252
300-minimum: 253
301-(1) Establish a process for individuals with a vested interest to 254
302-challenge any library and other educational material, display or 255
303-program; 256
304-(2) Limit consideration of requests to reconsider material, displays or 257
305-programs to individuals residing in the town in which the library is 258
306-located or the town in which the contract library is located; 259
307-(3) Require that no library material, display or program shall be 260
308-removed from library media centers, or programs be cancelled, because 261
309-of the origin, background or viewpoints expressed in such material, 262
310-display or program or because of the origin, background or viewpoints 263
311-of the creator of such material, display or program; 264
312-(4) Require that library materials, displays and programs shall only 265
313-be excluded for legitimate pedagogical purposes or for professionally 266
314-accepted standards of collection maintenance practices as adopted in the 267 Substitute Bill No. 1271
296+LCO No. 4244 9 of 12
297+
298+section 46a-64 of the general statutes, including, but not limited to, 228
299+discrimination based on race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, 229
300+national origin, sexual orientation or disability. In developing each such 230
301+policy, the board shall have control over the content of each such policy, 231
302+provided such policies are in accordance with the provisions of this 232
303+section. The board of trustees or other governing body shall review, and 233
304+update as necessary, each such policy every five years. 234
305+(b) The collection development and maintenance policy shall, at a 235
306+minimum: 236
307+(1) Recognize that library materials should (A) be provided for the 237
308+interest, information and enlightenment of all residents, and (B) 238
309+represent a wide range of varied and diverging viewpoints in the 239
310+collection as a whole; 240
311+(2) Recognize the importance of the public library as a place for 241
312+voluntary inquiry, the dissemination of information and ideas and the 242
313+promotion of free expression and free access to ideas by residents; 243
314+(3) Acknowledge that librarians are professionally trained to curate 244
315+and develop a collection that provides resident with access to the widest 245
316+array of library and other educational materials; and 246
317+(4) Establish a procedure for a librarian to continually review library 247
318+and other educational material within a public library using 248
319+professionally accepted standards, which shall include, but not be 249
320+limited to, the material's relevance, the condition of the material, the 250
321+availability of duplicates or copies of the material, the availability of 251
322+more recent age-appropriate or grade-level-appropriate material and 252
323+the continued demand for the material. 253
324+(c) The library display and program policy shall, at a minimum: 254
325+(1) Recognize that library displays should (A) be provided for the 255
326+interest, information and enlightenment of all residents, (B) represent a 256
327+Raised Bill No. 1271
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319-collection development and maintenance policy or the display and 268
320-program policy; 269
321-(5) Require that any process for petitioners to challenge any library 270
322-material, display or program shall neither favor nor disfavor any group 271
323-based on protected characteristics; 272
324-(6) Provide for the creation of a request for reconsideration form that 273
325-may be submitted by an individual to the library director to initiate a 274
326-review of such material. The form shall require such individual to 275
327-specify which portion or portions of such material such individual 276
328-objects to and provide an explanation of the reasons for such objection. 277
329-Such individual shall not submit a request for reconsideration form 278
330-without including such individual's full legal name, address and 279
331-telephone number; 280
332-(7) Acknowledge that reconsideration requests are not confidential 281
333-patron records under section 11-25 of the general statutes; 282
334-(8) Require that any library material being challenged remain 283
335-available in the library according to its catalog record and be available 284
336-for a resident to reserve, check out or access until a final decision is made 285
337-by the library director; 286
338-(9) Require the library director to evaluate the request for 287
339-reconsideration form, read the challenged material in its entirety, 288
340-evaluate the challenged material against the collection development and 289
341-maintenance policy and make a written decision on whether or not to 290
342-remove the challenged material not later than sixty days from the date 291
343-of receiving such request. The library director shall provide a copy of 292
344-the library director's decision and report to the individual who 293
345-submitted the form; 294
346-(10) Permit the individual who submitted the request for 295
347-reconsideration form to appeal, in writing, the library director's decision 296
348-to the board of trustees or other governing body for the library. The 297
349-board, after evaluating the challenged material under the collection 298 Substitute Bill No. 1271
331+LCO No. 4244 10 of 12
332+
333+wide range of varied and diverging viewpoints, and (C) provide access 257
334+to content that is relevant to the research, independent interests and 258
335+educational needs of residents; 259
336+(2) Recognize the importance of displays and programs as resources 260
337+for voluntary inquiry and the dissemination of information and ideas 261
338+and to promote free expression and free access to ideas by residents; and 262
339+(3) Acknowledge that librarians are professionally trained to curate 263
340+and develop displays and programs. 264
341+(d) The material review and reconsideration policy shall, at a 265
342+minimum: 266
343+(1) Limit consideration of requests to reconsider material, displays or 267
344+programs to individuals residing in the town in which the library is 268
345+located or the town in which the contract library is located; 269
346+(2) Require that no library material, display or program shall be 270
347+removed from library media centers, or programs be cancelled, because 271
348+of the origin, background or viewpoints expressed in such material, 272
349+display or program or because of the origin, background or viewpoints 273
350+of the creator of such material, display or program; 274
351+(3) Require that library materials, displays and programs may only 275
352+be excluded for legitimate pedagogical purposes or for professionally 276
353+accepted standards of collection maintenance practices as adopted in the 277
354+collection development and maintenance policy or the display and 278
355+program policy; 279
356+(4) Require that any process for petitioners to challenge any library 280
357+material, display or program shall neither favor nor disfavor any group 281
358+based on protected characteristics; 282
359+(5) Provide for the creation of a request for reconsideration form, 283
360+based on the model reconsideration form developed by the Library 284
361+Working Group pursuant to section 2 of this act that may be submitted 285
362+Raised Bill No. 1271
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354-development and maintenance policy, shall (A) consult with (i) the 299
355-library director, (ii) the State Librarian, or the State Librarian's designee, 300
356-(iii) a representative of the cooperating library service unit, as defined 301
357-in section 11-9e of the general statutes, (iv) the president of the 302
358-Connecticut Library Association, or the president's designee, and (v) the 303
359-president of the Association of Connecticut Library Boards, or the 304
360-president's designee, (B) deliberate on such request for reconsideration, 305
361-(C) provide a written statement of the reasons for the reconsideration or 306
362-refusal to reconsider the library material, and (D) provide any final 307
363-decision that is contrary to the decision of the library director; 308
364-(11) Provide that once a decision has been made by the library 309
365-director or the board of trustees or other governing board on the 310
366-reconsideration of any library material, such material cannot be subject 311
367-to a new request for reconsideration for a period of three years; 312
368-(12) Permit a library director to consolidate any requests for 313
369-reconsideration of the same challenged library material; and 314
370-(13) Prohibit the removal, exclusion or censoring of any book on the 315
371-sole basis that an individual finds such book offensive. 316
372-(f) Any librarian or staff member of a public library who, in good 317
373-faith, implements the policies described in this section shall be immune 318
374-from any liability, civil or criminal, that might otherwise be incurred or 319
375-imposed and shall have the same immunity with respect to any judicial 320
376-proceeding that results from such implementation. 321
377-(g) Any librarian or staff member of a public library may bring an 322
378-action for emotional distress, defamation, libel, slander, damage to 323
379-reputation or any other relevant tort against any person who harasses 324
380-such librarian or staff member for implementing the policies described 325
381-in this section. 326
382-(h) The board of trustees, or other governing body, of each public 327
383-library shall make available the (1) collection development and 328
384-maintenance policy, (2) library display and program policy, and (3) 329 Substitute Bill No. 1271
366+LCO No. 4244 11 of 12
367+
368+by an individual to the library director to initiate a review of such 286
369+material. The form shall require such individual to specify which 287
370+portions of such material such individual objects to and provide an 288
371+explanation of the reasons for such objection; 289
372+(6) Acknowledge that reconsideration requests are not confidential 290
373+patron records under section 11-25 of the general statutes; 291
374+(7) Require that any library material being challenged remain 292
375+available in the library according to its catalog record and be available 293
376+for a resident to reserve, check out or access until a final decision is made 294
377+by the library director; 295
378+(8) Require the library director to evaluate the request for 296
379+reconsideration form, read the challenged material in its entirety, 297
380+evaluate the challenged material against the collection development and 298
381+maintenance policy and make a written decision on whether or not to 299
382+remove the challenged material not later than sixty days from the date 300
383+of receiving such request. A copy of the library director's decision and 301
384+report shall be provided to the individual who submitted the form; 302
385+(9) Permit the individual who submitted the request for 303
386+reconsideration form to appeal, in writing, the library director's decision 304
387+to the board of trustees or other governing body for the library. The 305
388+board shall (A) consult with the library director, (B) deliberate on such 306
389+request for reconsideration, (C) provide a written statement of the 307
390+reasons for the reconsideration or nonreconsideration of the library 308
391+material, and (D) provide any final decision that is contrary to the 309
392+decision of the library director; 310
393+(10) Provide that once a decision has been made by the library 311
394+director or the board of trustees or other governing board on the 312
395+reconsideration of any library material, such material cannot be subject 313
396+to a new request for reconsideration for a period of three years; and 314
397+(11) Permit a library director to consolidate any requests for 315
398+Raised Bill No. 1271
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389-library material review and reconsideration policy adopted under this 330
390-section on the board's or governing body's Internet web site, or, if no 331
391-such Internet web site exists, inside the library or included as part of 332
392-such library's policy manual. 333
393-Sec. 3. Subsection (i) of section 11-24b of the general statutes is 334
394-repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 335
395-passage): 336
396-(i) No principal public library shall be eligible to receive a state grant 337
397-in accordance with the provisions of subsections (b), (c) and (d) of this 338
398-section if such principal public library does not maintain and adhere to 339
399-a collection development [, collection management and collection 340
400-reconsideration policies] and maintenance policy, a library display and 341
401-program policy and a library material review and reconsideration policy 342
402-that have been [approved] adopted by the board of trustees or other 343
403-governing body of such library pursuant to section 2 of this act. Such 344
404-[collection reconsideration] material review and reconsideration policy 345
405-shall offer residents a clear process to request a reconsideration of 346
406-library materials. In the instance of a book challenge, these policies shall 347
407-govern. 348
402+LCO No. 4244 12 of 12
403+
404+reconsideration of the same challenged library material. 316
405+Sec. 5. Subsection (i) of section 11-24b of the general statutes is 317
406+repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 318
407+2025): 319
408+(i) No principal public library shall be eligible to receive a state grant 320
409+in accordance with the provisions of subsections (b), (c) and (d) of this 321
410+section if such principal public library does not maintain and adhere to 322
411+[collection development, collection management and collection 323
412+reconsideration policies] a collection development and maintenance 324
413+policy, a library display and program policy and a material review and 325
414+reconsideration policy that have been [approved] adopted by the board 326
415+of trustees or other governing body of such library pursuant to section 327
416+4 of this act. Such [collection reconsideration] material review and 328
417+reconsideration policy shall offer residents a clear process to request a 329
418+reconsideration of library materials. In the instance of a book challenge, 330
419+these policies shall govern. 331
408420 This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
409421 sections:
410422
411-Section 1 from passage New section
423+Section 1 July 1, 2025 New section
412424 Sec. 2 from passage New section
413-Sec. 3 from passage 11-24b(i)
425+Sec. 3 July 1, 2025 New section
426+Sec. 4 July 1, 2025 New section
427+Sec. 5 July 1, 2025 11-24b(i)
414428
415-Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
416-In Section 1(e), "library" was inserted before "material" for consistency;
417-in Section 1(e)(4), "may" was changed to "shall" for consistency with
418-standard drafting conventions; in Section 2(b)(2), "library program and
419-display" was changed to "library display and program" for consistency;
420-in Section 2(e), "library" was inserted before "material" for consistency;
421-in Section 2(e)(4), "may" was changed to "shall" for consistency with
422-standard drafting conventions; in Section 2(h), "library program and
423-display" was changed to "library display and program" for consistency; Substitute Bill No. 1271
429+Statement of Purpose:
430+To require public and school libraries to develop a (1) collection
431+development and maintenance policy, (2) library program and display
432+policy, and (3) library material review and reconsideration policy.
424433
425-
426-LCO 13 of 13
427-
428-and in Section 3, "library" was inserted before the first instance of
429-"material" for consistency.
430-
431-KID Joint Favorable Subst.
434+[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
435+that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
436+underlined.]
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