Wisconsin 2023-2024 Regular Session

Wisconsin Senate Bill SB615 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	LRB-4828/1
2	2	SWB:emw
3	3	2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
4	4	2023 SENATE BILL 615
5	5	November 7, 2023 - Introduced by Senators ROYS, AGARD, HESSELBEIN and SMITH,
6	6	cosponsored by Representatives EMERSON, CONSIDINE, SINICKI, OHNSTAD,
7	7	CONLEY, BARE, SHELTON, RATCLIFF, CLANCY, BALDEH, JOERS, PALMERI, DRAKE,
8	8	MOORE OMOKUNDE, MADISON and JACOBSON. Referred to Committee on
9	9	Government Operations.
10	10	*AUTHORS SUBJECT TO CHANGE*
11	11	AN ACT to create 20.935 of the statutes; relating to: prohibiting certain
12	12	restrictions by state agencies and local governmental units on access to books
13	13	and other media and prohibiting public funding for a library, school, or
14	14	institution of higher learning that has certain restrictions on access to books
15	15	and other media.
16	16	Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
17	17	This bill provides that no library, public or private elementary or secondary
18	18	school, or institution of higher education is eligible for receipt of state or local funds
19	19	if the entity prohibits, bans, or unreasonably restricts access to any book or other
20	20	media based upon 1) partisan or doctrinal disapproval or 2) the origin, background,
21	21	or views of those contributing to the creation of the book or other media. The bill also
22	22	provides that no state agency or local governmental unit may prohibit, ban, or
23	23	unreasonably restrict access to any book or other media on these bases. The
24	24	provisions of the bill do not apply to any age-based restriction on obscene or
25	25	pornographic material and do not apply to prison libraries operated by the
26	26	Department of Corrections; libraries in jails, Type 1 juvenile correctional facilities,
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31	31	5 - 2 -2023 - 2024 Legislature LRB-4828/1
32	32	SWB:emw
33	33	SENATE BILL 615
34	34	juvenile detention facilities, or secured residential care centers for children and
35	35	youth; or libraries in institutions operated by the Department of Health Services.
36	36	The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
37	37	enact as follows:
38	38	SECTION 1. 20.935 of the statutes is created to read:
39	39	20.935 Prohibitions on funding for entities enforcing book bans. (1)
40	40	In this section:
41	41	(a) “Institution of higher education” means an institution or college campus
42	42	within the University of Wisconsin System, a technical college within the technical
43	43	college system, or a private, nonprofit institution of higher education located in this
44	44	state.
45	45	(b) “Library” has the meaning given in s. 943.61 (1) (b).
46	46	(c) “Local governmental unit" means a political subdivision of this state, a
47	47	special purpose district in this state, an agency or corporation of a political
48	48	subdivision or special purpose district, or a combination or subunit of any of the
49	49	foregoing.
50	50	(d) “State agency” has the meaning given in s. 20.931 (1) (c).
51	51	(2) No library, public or private elementary or secondary school, or institution
52	52	of higher education shall be eligible for receipt of funds of this state or of any local
53	53	governmental unit if the library, public or private elementary or secondary school,
54	54	or institution of higher education prohibits, bans, or unreasonably restricts access
55	55	to any book or other media based upon any of the following:
56	56	(a) Partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
57	57	(b) The origin, background, or views of the person or persons contributing to
58	58	the creation of the book or other media.
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79	79	21 - 3 -2023 - 2024 Legislature
80	80	LRB-4828/1
81	81	SWB:emw
82	82	SECTION 1
83	83	SENATE BILL 615
84	84	(3) No state agency or local governmental unit may prohibit, ban, or
85	85	unreasonably restrict access to any book or other media based upon any of the
86	86	following:
87	87	(a) Partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
88	88	(b) The origin, background, or views of the person or persons contributing to
89	89	the creation of the book or other media.
90	90	(4) Subsections (2) and (3) do not apply to any of the following:
91	91	(a) Age-based restrictions on obscene or pornographic material.
92	92	(b) Prison libraries operated by the department of corrections; libraries in jails,
93	93	Type 1 juvenile correctional facilities, as defined in s. 938.02 (19), juvenile detention
94	94	facilities, or secured residential care centers for children and youth; or libraries in
95	95	institutions operated by the department of health services.
96	96	(END)
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