88R4183 DIO-D
By: Dutton H.B. No. 917
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to access to certain public school library materials.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 33, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 33.025 to read as follows:
Sec. 33.025. ACCESS TO CERTAIN LIBRARY MATERIALS. (a) In
this section, "library material" means any book, record, file, or
other instrument or document listed in a school district's or
open-enrollment charter school's library catalog.
(b) A school district or open-enrollment charter school may
not remove any library material from the district's or school's
library catalog. Instead of removing library materials, each
school district or open-enrollment charter school shall, in
consultation with district or school parents, teachers, and
administrators, adopt procedures to create a list of restricted
access library materials.
(c) A school district or open-enrollment charter school may
not allow a student to access library materials designated as
restricted access library materials under Subsection (b) in the
catalog of a school library at the district or school unless the
district or school first obtains written consent from the student's
parent or person standing in parental relation to the student
authorizing the student's access to that library material.
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024
school year.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2023.