TORRANCE – Assembly Bill 1825, the California Freedom to Read Act, introduced by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance), Chair of the Assembly Education Committee, passed the Legislature. The bill will now go to the California Governor’s desk for his signature.
This bill would prohibit public libraries from banning books or other materials because of the topics, views, ideas, or opinions contained in them or in a manner that discriminates based on race, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, political affiliation, or socioeconomic status. The bill will also require public libraries to develop a collection development policy, which includes how the public can challenge library materials.
“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. “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.”
According to the American Library Association (ALA), the number of reported book challenges in the United States increased 65 percent from 2022 to 2023, reaching the highest level documented by the ALA. Pressure groups in 2023 focused on public libraries as well as school libraries. The number of book titles targeted for censorship at public libraries increased by 92 percent over the previous year, while school libraries saw an 11 percent increase over 2022 numbers. Book titles containing subject matter on LGBTQ and communities of color made up 47 percent of those targeted in censorship attempts. In California, in communities such as the City of Huntington Beach and Fresno County, there were 52 challenges to 98 book titles in public libraries and school libraries in 2023, compared to 32 attempts to ban 87 titles in 2022.
