The Florida House passed a bill on Thursday that opponents warn will dramatically increase book removals — including classic literature.
The legislation says if a book is challenged in schools for allegedly being harmful to minors, officials can't consider its “potential literary, artistic, political, or scientific value” when deciding whether to keep it on shelves.
Republicans say this will protect children from age-inappropriate books that remain on school shelves despite recent laws making it easier to challenge material.
"The problem is this loophole where we are not applying the right standards to what is appropriate for minors," said Rep. Doug Bankson, R-Apopka, the bill sponsor.
The state has more removals in public school libraries than any other state, according to recent reports.
The bill defines “harmful to minors” as nudity and sexual content that “predominantly appeals to prurient, shameful, or morbid interest” and “is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community as a whole with respect to what is suitable material or conduct for minors.”
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Democrats on Thursday criticized the measure, HB 1539. They filed multiple failed amendments that would have limited the number of book objections that can be filed and provided more transparency on book removals.
The bill's future is uncertain. If the Senate and Gov. Ron DeSantis also approve the measure, Democrats said there would be constitutional issues and warned that K-12 students could lose access to classics and a slew of other novels.
"Florida students deserve access to both classic and contemporary works that are intellectually rigorous and culturally significant," said Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis, D-Ocoee. "A high-quality education is incomplete without the opportunity to engage with challenging, thought-provoking material."
Bankson pushed back on Democrats' dissent.
"Parents have a fundamental right to direct the education and upbringing of their children, including protecting them from exposure to inappropriate, obscene materials in schools," he said.
But a number of book access advocacy groups share the concerns.
The groups, including the Florida Freedom to Read Project and PEN America, sent a letter to legislative leadership earlier this week.
"In short, this bill does not empower parents — it overrides them," they wrote. "It does not protect children — it limits their access to valuable learning opportunities. And it does not respect constitutional boundaries — it undermines the very freedoms our schools are meant to teach and uphold."
The legislative session is scheduled to end on May 2.
If you have any questions about the legislative session, you can ask the Your Florida team by clicking here.
This story was produced by WUSF as part of a statewide journalism initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
