New Jersey is working to pass the Freedom to Read Act.
This act aims to limit book bans in schools and libraries while also protecting librarians from lawsuits over the books they provide.
This bill, now heading to Governor Phil Murphy, supports libraries in providing diverse content without legal threats and allows local communities to set clear rules on book choices and removals.
The core idea of the Freedom to Read Act is to give librarians legal protection from lawsuits, civil or criminal, that might arise from material they make available.
Senators Andrew Zwicker and Teresa Ruiz, who sponsored the act, argue that this bill responds to the rising pressures to censor certain books, especially those focused on marginalized voices like Black and LGBTQ+ communities.
This protection for librarians reflects a national rise in book censorship attempts, a trend noted by the American Library Association, which recorded a significant increase in challenges, particularly around LGBTQ+ titles.
The act (S2421/A3446) requires New Jersey’s Commissioner of Education to set a policy for selecting library materials and addressing book challenges.
In turn, local school and library boards would use these guidelines to select, challenge, or remove items.
With that in mind, policies would prevent the removal of books based on the authors’ origins, backgrounds, viewpoints, or personal objections to the content.
Supporters argue that the act will clarify and uniformly enforce rules across school districts and libraries, protecting librarians from harassment over attempts to ban books.
A recent debate in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, over LGBTQ+ books like “All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George M. Johnson and “It’s Perfectly Normal” by Robie H. Harris shows how public opinion can divide sharply, which the act hopes to address through clearer policies.
Although the Senate passed the act with 24-15 votes, it faced opposition, mainly from Republicans who say it grants “sweeping immunity” to librarians.
Senators Mike Testa and Joe Pennacchio raised concerns that the bill might allow the sharing of “obscene materials,” fearing this immunity conflicts with existing obscenity laws.
Testa argued that if books are appropriate, there is no need for added protections, and he questioned how such materials could be provided to children “in good faith.”
Sen. Jon Bramnick, a Republican co-sponsor, views the bill as a step toward consistent book-selection policies across the state.
He noted that New Jersey schools lack universal guidelines, describing the current state as “the wild, wild west.”
Bramnick stressed that librarians generally do not intend to provide children with unsuitable content but need this bill to protect them if disputes arise.
Senator Zwicker clarified that the act does not interfere with parental rights; parents still decide what books their children access.
He supports the act’s role in defending a range of viewpoints, allowing libraries to show diverse experiences.
Attempts to censor books, he added, often target marginalized groups, which could reduce inclusivity in schools.
Meanwhile, local support for reading freedom grows in New Jersey.
Last year, the Essex County School Boards Association and the Hoboken City Council defended the right to read, with Hoboken declaring itself the state’s first “Book Sanctuary City.”
And a case in Morris County illustrates the need for the Freedom to Read Act.
A high school librarian filed a lawsuit against residents who allegedly labeled her a “child predator” for offering LGBTQ+-themed books.
This case highlights the pressure librarians may face, which the act aims to relieve by protecting their role in providing a range of materials.
Across the U.S., similar laws are under consideration.
California and Maryland recently passed laws to limit book bans, and lawmakers in New York and Rhode Island are reviewing similar bills.
The Freedom to Read Act places New Jersey within a larger movement to support libraries as spaces for diverse voices, fair access, and freedom of ideas.
It affirms the values of free expression amid debates over censorship.