EVM&FFK:amn
2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
December 19, 2023 - Introduced by Senators L. Johnson, Hesselbein, Spreitzer
and Larson, cosponsored by Representatives J. Anderson, Emerson, Baldeh,
Clancy, Conley, Considine, Jacobson, Madison, Moore Omokunde, Ohnstad,
Palmeri, Ratcliff, Sinicki, Snodgrass and Haywood. Referred to Committee
on Government Operations.
SB824,1,3
1An Act to create 43.58 (9) and 120.12 (25m) of the statutes;
relating to:
2requests for restrictions on the availability of library materials, including
3school library materials.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
The bill provides that, if a library board or school board has a procedure to
evaluate and resolve a complaint alleging that library materials should be removed
from the collection or restricted to certain users, the procedure may only be initiated
upon a finding that 1) the complaint is made by an individual who resides in a
political subdivision that established the public library or in the case of a school
library, the individual is either the parent or guardian of a pupil attending a school
in the school district or a resident of the school district, 2) the complaint is
accompanied by a statement from the individual making the complaint averring that
the individual has reviewed the library material in its entirety, 3) the complaint
contains an explanation of the individual's objections to the material, and 4) the
complaint is accompanied by the signatures of not less than 5 percent of the total
number of electors in the political subdivision that established the public library or
for a school library, 5 percent of the total number of the electors in the school district
in which the school library is located.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB824,1
1Section
1. 43.58 (9) of the statutes is created to read:
SB824,2,52
43.58
(9) If a library board has a procedure to evaluate and resolve a complaint
3alleging that library materials should be removed from the collection or restricted
4to certain users, the procedure may only be initiated upon a finding that all of the
5following are satisfied:
SB824,2,76
(a) The complaint is made by an individual who resides in a city, village, town,
7or county that established the public library.
SB824,2,108
(b) The complaint is accompanied by a statement from the individual making
9the complaint averring that the individual has reviewed the library material in its
10entirety.
SB824,2,1211
(c) The complaint contains an explanation of the individual's objections to the
12material.
SB824,2,1513
(d) The complaint is accompanied by the signatures of not less than 5 percent
14of the total number of electors in the city, village, town, or county that established
15the public library.
SB824,2
16Section
2. 120.12 (25m) of the statutes is created to read:
SB824,2,2117
120.12
(25m) School library materials; objections policy. If the school board
18has a procedure to evaluate and resolve a complaint alleging that school library
19materials should be removed from the collection or restricted to certain users, ensure
20that the procedure may only be initiated upon a finding that all of the following are
21satisfied:
SB824,2,2222
(a) The complaint is made by an individual who is any of the following:
SB824,2,2323
1. A parent or guardian of a pupil enrolled in the school district.
SB824,2,2424
2. A resident of the school district.
SB824,3,3
1(b) The complaint is accompanied by a statement from the individual making
2the complaint averring that the individual has reviewed the school library material
3in its entirety.
SB824,3,54
(c) The complaint contains an explanation of the individual's objections to the
5school library material.
SB824,3,76
(d) The complaint is accompanied by the signatures of not less than 5 percent
7of the total number of electors residing in the school district.
