New bill will ban certain books in public libraries 

House Bill 710 is set to eliminate materials it deems as “harmful” in Idaho public and school libraries.  

“We’ve seen a lot of bills like this happen across the nation,” an anonymous librarian said. “For a lot of librarians working for schools and public libraries, they’re frustrated by what they consider to be, very vague language.” 

This bill, if passed, will go into effect on July 1, 2024, because it is declared as an emergency measure.  

If this bill goes into effect, parents and students who see certain obscene materials can “challenge” the libraries, which will have 30 days to relocate or displace that material to an adult-only section.    

If a parent or student makes this action and it is deemed reasonable, they can receive $250 in compensation.  

A prosecuting attorney will also be brought in to examine the charges for the libraries that violate this order. 

The only valid excuses that the libraries will be able to use in their defense are if they believed the minor to be over 18, the minor presented identification that lied about their age, or if the library knew that the minor had an adult guardian with them when they checked out the material. 

Each library must have a form that is available to request material that has been considered “harmful to minors.” 

“What it comes down to is that some people feel like certain views shouldn’t be expressed in publicly funded libraries,” the source said. “There are differing opinions on what is appropriate for children and what is not.” 

According to the source, many libraries are also upset due to their view that the internet is a common source for accessing explicit materials for minors rather than libraries.  

“There is no book banning,” Senator Cindy Carlson said in an article by the Idaho Capital Sun. “This codifies a relocation policy that is fair. This process is fair for both sides of the issue. Harmful materials are already in [Idaho] Code. We are actually taking away language from the Code to clear up the possibility of legal challenge.” 

On April 3, 2024, the bill was passed through the Senate and is being sent to Idaho Governor Brad Little for final approval.   

Any interested person can view this bill on the Idaho Legislature’s Website.