Arkansas legislation · 95th General Assembly (2025 Regular)
Arkansas HB1977: TO CREATE THE PROTECTING CHILDHOOD INNOCENCE IN LIBRARIES ACT
Status: Failed, May 5, 2025
What the bill says
An act to be entitled an act to create the protecting childhood innocence in libraries act; and for other purposes. subtitle to create the protecting childhood innocence in libraries act.
From the introduced text:
An Act To Be Entitled AN ACT TO CREATE THE PROTECTING CHILDHOOD INNOCENCE IN LIBRARIES ACT; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. Subtitle TO CREATE THE PROTECTING CHILDHOOD INNOCENCE IN LIBRARIES ACT. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: SECTION 1. DO NOT CODIFY. Legislative findings. The General Assembly finds that: (1) Parents of young children have a right to determine when and how their children should be educated about sex; (2) Children's sections of public libraries and public school libraries have traditionally taken care to curate materials that are ageappropriate for children; (3) Exposure to a wide range of books is important for the educational development of Arkansas children; (4) Children should be able to freely browse books within a children's library section without exposure to sexually explicit material or to sex education materials without parental consent; and (5) Taxpayer-funded libraries should assist parents in facilitating educational opportunities for their children by ensuring children's library sections provide age-appropriate materials free of sexually explicit material. SECTION 2. DO NOT CODIFY. Title. *SSS313* 04/02/2025 3:37:21 PM SSS313 HB1977 This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Protecting Childhood Innocence in Libraries Act". SECTION 3. Arkansas Code Title 6, Chapter 21, Subchapter 1, is amended to add an additional section to read as follows: 6-21-122. Sexually …
Sponsors
- Mary Bentley (R, 54) · primary sponsor
- Alan Clark (R, 7)
Latest actions
- : Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
- : Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on EDUCATION COMMITTEE- HOUSE
- : Filed
Common questions
- What is HB1977?
- HB1977 is a bill in the Arkansas Legislature (95th General Assembly (2025 Regular)): TO CREATE THE PROTECTING CHILDHOOD INNOCENCE IN LIBRARIES ACT.
- What does HB1977 do?
- In its own words: An act to be entitled an act to create the protecting childhood innocence in libraries act; and for other purposes. subtitle to create the protecting childhood innocence in libraries act.
- What is the status of HB1977?
- Failed as of May 5, 2025. Latest action: Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. (May 5, 2025).
- Who sponsored HB1977?
- Mary Bentley (R, 54), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for HB1977?
- On the Arkansas Legislature website: https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Detail?ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R&measureno=HB1977
Source: official Arkansas record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.