Illinois Set To Forbid Book Bans By Schools, Libraries

Politico reports:

Illinois is poised to become the first state to punish public institutions that ban books. Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker has said he supports a House bill that would withhold state funding from any of the state’s 1,600 public or school libraries that remove books from their shelves.

It passed in the Illinois Senate on Wednesday, and Pritzker is expected to sign the legislation. “In Illinois, we don’t hide from the truth, we embrace it and lead with it,” the governor said when the bill was first presented. “Banning books is a devastating attempt to erase our history and the authentic stories of many.”

The impetus for the legislation came from newly elected Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias [photo], whose office oversees library systems and their funding. Giannoulias, a Democrat, said he couldn’t fathom that book banning is happening in 2023.

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Illinois closes the book on book bans https://t.co/MSbwo7xr1z

— POLITICO (@politico) May 3, 2023