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NY A05464
Bill
Status
2/14/2025
Primary Sponsor
Michaelle Solages
Click for details
AI Summary
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Requires the Education Commissioner to develop model policies for public school library material curation, with school boards mandating student access to age-appropriate "diverse and inclusive material" reflecting protected classes including race, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability
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Establishes a formal review process for challenged library materials, requiring a review committee be appointed within 10 days of a removal request, with the committee having 30 days to make recommendations while the challenged material remains available
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Requires public libraries to adopt state librarian-developed policies on material curation and removal procedures, with similar review committee requirements and protections against censorship
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Grants school library media specialists, librarians, and library staff immunity from criminal and civil liability for good faith actions, plus a civil cause of action against anyone who harasses them for complying with these requirements, including attorney's fees for prevailing parties
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Makes it an unlawful discriminatory employment practice under the Executive Law to fire, refuse to hire, or discriminate against library staff for refusing to remove materials outside the formal removal procedures
Legislative Description
Establishes requirements for library material in public school libraries and public libraries; requires the development of policies for removal of materials; establishes protections for school library media specialists and librarians against harassment and discrimination in employment related to the refusal to remove library materials.
Last Action
referred to education
1/7/2026