HCSHB1146--RECONSIDERATION OFLIBRARYMATERIALS
SPONSOR: Justus
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonElementaryandSecondaryEducationbyavoteof20to
1.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
1146.
Thisbillestablishesprovisionsrelatingtothereconsideration of
materialsinapubliclibrary.
Thebilldefines"digitallibrarymaterial"asmaterialincluding,
butnotlimitedto,digitalaudiobooks,electronicbooks,
textbooks,andjournals,electronicmagazines,andotherresources
thataredirectlyaccessiblethroughthepubliclibrarydatabase,
butexcludinganyonlineordigitalcontentthatisavailableto
patronsoutsideofthepubliclibraryorschoollibraryor
platform.
Thisbilldefines"material"asanypicture,drawing,photograph,
motionpicturefilm,videotapeorvideotapeproduction,or
pictorialrepresentation; anyrecordingortranscription; any
mechanical,chemical,orelectricalreproduction;anystored
computerdata;oranythingthatcanbeusedasmeansof
communication. Materialincludes,butisnotlimitedto,
undevelopedphotographs,molds,printingplates,storedcomputer
data,andotherlatentrepresentational objects.
Thebilldefines"reconsideration" asaprocessinwhichlibrary
personnelorlibrarygoverningbodiesreviewmaterialsinapublic
libraryduetoaformalcomplaint. Theoutcomeofthis
reconsideration canincluderelocatingorremovingmaterialsor
digitallibrarymaterials.
Thisbillrequiresallpubliclibrariestoestablishapolicy
outliningtheprocessformaterialsanddigitallibrarymaterials
toundergoreconsideration basedonacomplaintmadeabout
materialsordigitallibrarymaterialsfromamemberofthe
community. Suchapolicymustbemadepubliclyavailable,as
providedinthebill.
Apubliclibrarywillremovematerialsfromitspermanent
collection,relocatematerialswithinitscollection,orremove
accesstodigitallibrarymaterialswithinitscollectiononlyif
thematerialshavebeenreviewedinaccordancewithanestablished policyforthereconsideration ofmaterialsanddigitallibrary
materialsthatcompliestherequirementsofthebill.
Torequestreconsideration ofmaterialsordigitallibrary
materials,theindividualmakingtherequestmustsignaform
affirmingthat:theindividualhasreadorconsumedtheentirety
ofthechallengedmaterial;theindividualresidesinthetaxing
districtofthepubliclibraryinwhichtherequestismade;and
theindividualholdsalibrarycardforthepubliclibraryinwhich
theindividualisfilingtherequestforreconsideration.
Eachpubliclibrarymustdevelopanappealsprocessforthe
reconsideration policythatoutlinesaprocessforappealinga
decisionmaderegardingtheremovalofmaterials. Arecordofall
appealsrequestedandtheiroutcomeswillbemadeavailablebya
publiclibraryuponrequest.
Digitallibraryresourceswillnottrackorprovidethird-party
notificationregardingdigitallibrarymaterialsaccessedby
individualusersviapubliclibrarydatabase. Anindividualwhois
anemployeeorvolunteerofapubliclibrarymustnotbesubject
totermination,demotion,discipline,retaliation,oranyother
penaltyforrefusingtoremovematerialsordigitallibrary
materialsbeforethematerialshavebeenreviewedinaccordance
withapubliclibrarypolicythatcomplieswiththeprovisionsof
thisbill.
ThisbillissimilartoSB159(2025).
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatlibrariesprovideresourcesfor
thecommunityandchildrenshouldbesafeatthelibrary. This
billputsintostatutewhattheSecretaryofStatehasalready
implementedbyrules.Publiclibrariesshouldalreadyhavean
establishedpolicyforreconsideration. ServiceslikeEbscoand
MoreNetsupportthelanguageandalreadyhavethetechnological
capabilitytoremovedigitalcontentandhelpprovideasafespace
inthecommunitythatmeetstheneedsofthecommunity.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Justus;
MissouriLibraryAssociation;ScottBernier,EbscoInformation
Services.
OPPONENTS: Therewasnooppositionvoicedtothecommittee. Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.