SB0689eng 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB0689 Engrossed LRB103 03142 AWJ 48148 b

AN ACT concerning local government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Local Library Act is amended by adding Section 1-8 as follows:

(75 ILCS 5/1-8 new)

Sec. 1-8. Book bans prohibited. The board of trustees or staff of a public library established under this Act shall not limit access to biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, or any other books or materials in the library or prohibit the purchase for the library's collection of biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, or any other books or materials based upon the depiction in those books or materials of matters of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual and reproductive health, gender identity, religion, human rights activism, or any other subject. This Section does not restrict the board of trustees or staff of a public library established under this Act from imposing limitations on access to books or materials in the library for public safety reasons or based upon the age and developmental level of persons who will have access to those books or materials.

Section 10. The Illinois Library System Act is amended by changing Section 3 as follows:

(75 ILCS 10/3) (from Ch. 81, par. 113)

Sec. 3. The State Librarian and his or her staff shall administer the provisions of this Act and shall prescribe such rules and regulations as are necessary to carry the provisions of this Act into effect.

The rules and regulations established by the State Librarian for the administration of this Act shall be designed to achieve the following standards and objectives:

(A) provide library service for every citizen in the state by extending library facilities to areas not now served; .

(B) provide library materials for student needs at every educational level; .

(C) provide adequate library materials to satisfy the reference and research needs of the people of this state; .

(D) provide an adequate staff of professionally trained librarians for the state; .

(E) provide an adequate stock of books and other materials sufficient in size and varied in kind and subject matter to satisfy the library needs of the people of this state; .

(F) provide adequate library outlets and facilities convenient in time and place to serve the people of this state; .

(G) encourage existing and new libraries to develop library systems serving a sufficiently large population to support adequate library service at reasonable cost; .

(H) foster the economic and efficient utilization of public funds; .

(I) promote the full utilization of local pride, responsibility, initiative and support of library service and at the same time employ state aid as a supplement to local support; and .

(J) prohibit the library systems established under this Act and their staff from limiting access to biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, or any other books or materials and prohibit the purchase of biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, or any other books or materials based upon the depiction in those books or materials of matters of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, human rights activism, or any other subject. This paragraph (J) does not restrict a library system or its staff from imposing limitations on access to books or materials in the library system for public safety reasons or based upon the age and developmental level of persons who will have access to those books or materials.

The Advisory Committee of the Illinois State Library shall confer with, advise and make recommendations to the State Librarian regarding any matter under this Act and particularly with reference to the formation of library systems.

(Source: Laws 1965, p. 3077.)

Section 15. The Public Library District Act of 1991 is amended by adding Section 1-60 as follows:

(75 ILCS 16/1-60 new)

Sec. 1-60. Book bans prohibited. The board of trustees or staff of a library established under this Act shall not limit access to biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, or any other books or materials in the library or prohibit the purchase for the library's collection of biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, or any other books or materials based upon the depiction in those materials of matters of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual and reproductive health, gender identity, religion, human rights activism, or any other subject. This Section does not restrict the board of trustees or staff of a library established under this Act from imposing limitations on access to books or materials in the library for public safety reasons or based upon the age and developmental level of persons who will have access to those books or materials.

Section 20. The Village Library Act is amended by adding Section 6 as follows:

(75 ILCS 40/6 new)

Sec. 6. Book bans prohibited. The board of trustees or staff of a village library established under this Act shall not limit access to biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, or any other books or materials in the library or prohibit the purchase for the village library's collection of biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, or any other books or materials based upon the depiction in those materials of matters of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual and reproductive health, gender identity, religion, human rights activism, or any other subject. This Section does not restrict the board of trustees of a village library established under this Act from imposing limitations on access to books or materials in the village library for public safety reasons or based upon the age and developmental level of persons who will have access to those books or materials.

Section 25. The School Code is amended by by adding Sections 10-20.85 and 34-18.82 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/10-20.85 new)

Sec. 10-20.85. Book bans prohibited. Neither a school district nor its staff shall limit access to biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, or any other books or materials in a school library or prohibit the purchase for the school library's collection of biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, or any other books or materials based upon the depiction in those materials of matters of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual and reproductive health, gender identity, religion, human rights activism, or any other subject. This Section does not restrict a school district or its staff from imposing limitations on access to books or materials in a school library for public safety reasons or based upon the age and developmental level of students who will have access to those books or materials.

(105 ILCS 5/34-18.82 new)

Sec. 34-18.82. Book bans prohibited. Neither the school district nor its staff shall limit access to biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, or any other books or materials in a school library or prohibit the purchase for the school library's collection of biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, or any other books or materials based upon the depiction in those materials of matters of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual and reproductive health, gender identity, religion, human rights activism, or any other subject. This Section does not restrict the school district or its staff from imposing limitations on access to books or materials in a school library for public safety reasons or based upon the age and developmental level of students who will have access to those books or materials.