New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) signed a law Monday prohibiting book banning in state libraries and schools.
The law says school boards and the governing boards of public libraries need to create standards for how books are removed from shelves and how complaints are addressed.
Books will not be allowed to be removed based on “the origin, background, or views of the material or of its authors,” nor can books be censored based “on a disagreement with a viewpoint, idea, or concept, or solely because an individual finds certain content offensive, unless they are restricting access to developmentally inappropriate material for certain age groups.”
The governor is also providing legal protections for librarians from civil or criminal lawsuits around book banning.
“The Freedom to Read Act cements New Jersey’s role on the forefront of preventing book bans and protecting the intellectual freedom of our…
