Governor Pritzker signs law prohibiting book banning

Posted on June 13, 2023
Gov. Pritzker says there were 67 attempts to ban books last year in Illinois. (WJBC file photo)

By IIS Radio

SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker is signing a first-of-its-kind law prohibiting book banning in Illinois.

The law requires public and school libraries to adopt the American Library Association’s bill of rights, which says that books should not be removed because of partisan or personal disapproval. Libraries that don’t will not be eligible for state funding.

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias championed the law.

“Just because books aren’t burned in a local town square doesn’t make restricting public access to them anymore acceptable,” said Giannoulias. “Parents, and only parents, have the right and responsibility to restrict their children’s access to library resources.”

Gov. Pritzker says there were 67 attempts to ban books last year in Illinois.

WJBC News can be reached at [email protected]

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