Illinois passes a pioneering anti-book ban law prohibiting public libraries and schools from removing literature.
The state was the first to pass such a law in response to the growing trend of book bans in various parts of the United States (US). There have been numerous cases wherein books that deal with topics such as race, gender, and sexuality face a ban in public schools and libraries.
Illinois Passes Anti-Book Ban Law
According to ABC News, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the anti-book ban law on Monday, June 12, preventing public schools and libraries from axing literature.
Gov. Pritzker, a Democrat, says, "Book bans are about censorship marginalizing people, marginalizing ideas and facts." He further stressed during the bill signing at the Chicago library that "regimes banned books, not democracies."
The Illinois governor says that the law, which takes effect on January 1, 2024, is the "first of its kind" in the country. While other states are passing laws, which let public libraries and schools ban titles, Illinois does otherwise; it passed a measure prohibiting book banning.
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias explains that the law should show trust in the "experience and education" of librarians, giving them the power, which books should be axed or not.
As per a report by CNN, the newly passed law requires public libraries in Illinois to follow the Library Bill of Rights of the American Library Association. The Bill of Rights prohibits banning literature based on "doctrinal" or "partisan" disapproval. The association also forbids the removal of books based on their "origin, background, or views."
The Guardian reports that the Illinois senate passed the anti-book ban bill, known as HB 2789, in early May. Before the month ended, Gov. Pritzker received the measure for his signature. And on Monday, the Democratic governor signed the bill into law.
Book Bans in the US
Illinois passed the anti-book ban law amid the growing movement of book bans in the US. CNN notes that the American Library Association reports that there were roughly 1,269 demands to censor library books and other resources across the country last year or in 2022, to be exact. It is the highest figure in the past two decades or 20 years.
Meanwhile, Pen America, a free speech organization, disclosed in its April 2023 reports that book bans strikingly jumped during the 2022-2023 school year. Roughly a third of the removal of literature is connected to the newly passed laws in states like Utah, Texas, South Carolina, Florida, and Missouri.
Apart from Pritzker, US President Joe Biden announced the possible appointment of a new federal coordinator amid the spike of book bans in various states.