Legislation has been introduced in the New Jersey Senate to reduce state library funding for public libraries and schools that ban books. S-3907 both prohibits public libraries and schools from banning books based on “partisan or doctrinal disapproval” and authorizes reductions in their library funding as a sanction for doing so. Illinois has just enacted a similar law, also using the “partisan or doctrinal disapproval” language and the loss of funding sanction. That law takes effect in January.

A wave of book removal is sweeping through many states as part of the current political “culture wars” over teaching about race, sex and gender. Most of these controversies have not yet intruded into our state, and the intent behind S-3907 appears to be keeping this controversy out by deterring removal of books in response to demand by members of the local community.