Freedom to Read Act awaits Governor’s signature to become law

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The California Freedom to Read Act, a bill that requires libraries to create a process to challenge books while protecting public access to information, has passed the state's legislature and now awaits the Governor's signature to become law.

"I am thankful to the members of the Legislature for passing my AB 1825. Our freedom to read is a cornerstone of our democracy, and we need to defend the right of Californians to have access to books that offer diverse perspectives," said Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, the bill's author. "Unfortunately, there is a growing movement to ban books nationwide, including in California. This is especially true for books containing the voices and lived experiences of LGBTQ and communities of color."

Assembly Bill 1825 requires public libraries that receive state funding to establish a publicly available collection development policy by Jan. 1, 2026, send that policy to the State Librarian, as well as meet the following minimum conditions:

• Create a process for the community to share concerns about library materials and to request library materials be reconsidered for inclusion
• Guide the selection and deselection of library materials
• Have the library's collection meet the broad and diverse interests of the community
• Establish that the library serves as a center for voluntary inquiry and the dissemination of information and ideas
• Acknowledge that library materials should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people and should preserve diverse points of view in the collection
• Note the right of the public to receive access to a range of social, political, aesthetic, moral, and other ideas and experiences

The bill protects library employees from being fired, demoted, or retaliated against for refusing to remove library materials before a review under the library's development policy or from adding materials displayed or acquired in good faith accordance with the above requirements.

Additionally, a person's right to use a public library and its resources would not be denied based solely due to personal characteristics, age, background, or beliefs and that all people that use the library have a right to privacy and confidentiality in the materials they use or borrow from the library.

According to the American Library Association, the number of reported book challenges in the United States increased 65 percent from 2022 to 2023 and the number of book titles targeted for removal at public libraries increased by 92 percent over the previous year.

This new bill builds on AB 1078, signed into law in September of last year, which took effect immediately and prohibited county and municipality-based challenges to the content and number of textbooks in their jurisdictions.

"When we restrict access to books in school that properly reflect our nation’s history and unique voices, we eliminate the mirror in which young people see themselves reflected, and we eradicate the window in which young people can comprehend the unique experiences of others," explained First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom at the time of AB 1078's passage last year. "In short, book bans harm all children and youth, diminishing communal empathy and serving to further engender intolerance and division across society. We Californians believe all children must have the freedom to learn about the world around them and this new law is a critical step in protecting this right."