Wisconsin 2023-2024 Regular Session

Wisconsin Assembly Bill AB657 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	LRB-4033/1
2	2	SWB:emw
3	3	2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
4	4	2023 ASSEMBLY BILL 657
5	5	November 9, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives EMERSON, CONSIDINE, SINICKI,
6	6	OHNSTAD, CONLEY, BARE, SHELTON, RATCLIFF, CLANCY, BALDEH, JOERS, PALMERI,
7	7	DRAKE, MOORE OMOKUNDE, MADISON and JACOBSON, cosponsored by Senators
8	8	ROYS, HESSELBEIN, AGARD and SMITH. Referred to Committee on State Affairs.
9	9	*AUTHORS SUBJECT TO CHANGE*
10	10	AN ACT to create 20.935 of the statutes; relating to: prohibiting certain
11	11	restrictions by state agencies and local governmental units on access to books
12	12	and other media and prohibiting public funding for a library, school, or
13	13	institution of higher learning that has certain restrictions on access to books
14	14	and other media.
15	15	Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
16	16	This bill provides that no library, public or private elementary or secondary
17	17	school, or institution of higher education is eligible for receipt of state or local funds
18	18	if the entity prohibits, bans, or unreasonably restricts access to any book or other
19	19	media based upon 1) partisan or doctrinal disapproval or 2) the origin, background,
20	20	or views of those contributing to the creation of the book or other media. The bill also
21	21	provides that no state agency or local governmental unit may prohibit, ban, or
22	22	unreasonably restrict access to any book or other media on these bases. The
23	23	provisions of the bill do not apply to any age-based restriction on obscene or
24	24	pornographic material and do not apply to prison libraries operated by the
25	25	Department of Corrections; libraries in jails, Type 1 juvenile correctional facilities,
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30	30	5 - 2 -2023 - 2024 Legislature LRB-4033/1
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32	32	ASSEMBLY BILL 657
33	33	juvenile detention facilities, or secured residential care centers for children and
34	34	youth; or libraries in institutions operated by the Department of Health Services.
35	35	The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
36	36	enact as follows:
37	37	SECTION 1. 20.935 of the statutes is created to read:
38	38	20.935 Prohibitions on funding for entities enforcing book bans. (1)
39	39	In this section:
40	40	(a) “Institution of higher education” means an institution or college campus
41	41	within the University of Wisconsin System, a technical college within the technical
42	42	college system, or a private, nonprofit institution of higher education located in this
43	43	state.
44	44	(b) “Library” has the meaning given in s. 943.61 (1) (b).
45	45	(c) “Local governmental unit" means a political subdivision of this state, a
46	46	special purpose district in this state, an agency or corporation of a political
47	47	subdivision or special purpose district, or a combination or subunit of any of the
48	48	foregoing.
49	49	(d) “State agency” has the meaning given in s. 20.931 (1) (c).
50	50	(2) No library, public or private elementary or secondary school, or institution
51	51	of higher education shall be eligible for receipt of funds of this state or of any local
52	52	governmental unit if the library, public or private elementary or secondary school,
53	53	or institution of higher education prohibits, bans, or unreasonably restricts access
54	54	to any book or other media based upon any of the following:
55	55	(a) Partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
56	56	(b) The origin, background, or views of the person or persons contributing to
57	57	the creation of the book or other media.
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78	78	21 - 3 -2023 - 2024 Legislature
79	79	LRB-4033/1
80	80	SWB:emw
81	81	SECTION 1
82	82	ASSEMBLY BILL 657
83	83	(3) No state agency or local governmental unit may prohibit, ban, or
84	84	unreasonably restrict access to any book or other media based upon any of the
85	85	following:
86	86	(a) Partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
87	87	(b) The origin, background, or views of the person or persons contributing to
88	88	the creation of the book or other media.
89	89	(4) Subsections (2) and (3) do not apply to any of the following:
90	90	(a) Age-based restrictions on obscene or pornographic material.
91	91	(b) Prison libraries operated by the department of corrections; libraries in jails,
92	92	Type 1 juvenile correctional facilities, as defined in s. 938.02 (19), juvenile detention
93	93	facilities, or secured residential care centers for children and youth; or libraries in
94	94	institutions operated by the department of health services.
95	95	(END)
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