Text of NM HB 27 (2025)
Librarian Protection Act
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As introduced
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HOUSE BILL 27
57TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 2025
INTRODUCED BY
Kathleen Cates
AN ACT
RELATING TO LIBRARIES; ENACTING THE LIBRARIAN PROTECTION ACT;
PROSCRIBING THE BANNING OF LIBRARY MATERIALS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
SECTION 1. [NEW MATERIAL] SHORT TITLE.--This act may be
cited as the "Librarian Protection Act".
SECTION 2. [NEW MATERIAL] DEFINITIONS.--As used in the
Librarian Protection Act:
A. "ban" means the act of removing or prohibiting
the addition of materials from a public library not in
accordance with an established and approved collection
development policy;
B. "challenge" means an attempt to remove or
restrict materials from a public library; and
C. "public library" means a New Mexico organization
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that offers basic library services that are available to the
general public.
SECTION 3. [NEW MATERIAL] PUBLIC LIBRARIES--PROHIBITING
BOOK BANNING.--
A. A public library shall not be eligible to
receive state funds unless the library:
(1) adopts a written policy that complies with
the American library association's library bill of rights, as
adopted in 2019, including the requirement that library
materials not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or
doctrinal disapproval of the material's content or based on the
author's race, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation
or political or religious views; or
(2) adopts a written policy prohibiting the
practice of banning books or other library materials within the
library or library system on the basis of partisan or doctrinal
disapproval of the material's content or based on the author's
race, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation or
political or religious views pursuant to rules promulgated by
the state librarian.
B. A political subdivision of the state shall not
reduce funding for a public library due to the library's
compliance with the provisions of Subsection A of this section.
C. The provisions of Subsection A of this section
are not intended to curtail the right of individuals to
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challenge library materials as part of an approved library
collection development policy following established library
materials challenge procedures.
SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the
provisions of this act is July 1, 2025.
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