WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

A 9537

Enacts the "freedom to read act"

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Alex Bores and 19 co-sponsors

Establishes written library material reconsideration policies with a committee, ensures access during review, and protects staff from discipline for policy-based selections.

PRINT NUMBER 9537B
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · A 9537

Summary of New York A. 9537 (Session 2025-2026): The “Freedom to Read Act”

Purpose and Intent

  • Establishes a formal framework for the reconsideration of school library materials to protect the right to access diverse ideas while ensuring procedures are fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory.
  • Aims to prevent removal or restriction of library materials solely due to disagreement with ideas, viewpoints, or the author’s or characters’ identities, subject to district policies and review processes.

Key Provisions

1) Policy Requirement for Reconsideration of Library Materials

  • Each school district’s board of education must adopt a written policy governing the reconsideration of school library materials.
  • The policy must:
    • Explain how complaints may be submitted.
    • Identify who reviews complaints.
    • Describe how a final decision is made.
  • Include a general timeline for review and create a reconsideration committee to review complaints.
  • Policy must be available on the district website.

2) Composition and Process of the Reconsideration Committee

  • The committee must include at least one member from each category, affiliated with the district, potentially as a standing committee:
    • Certified librarian or library media specialist
    • Teacher
    • School administrator
    • Parent
    • Student (where possible)
  • There must be a provision for a final appeal to the board of education.
  • The policy must provide notice of the right to file appeals with the state Education Commissioner pursuant to existing law.
  • All decisions must align with the district’s written policies and must not be based solely on disagreement with the ideas, viewpoints, or identities represented in the material.
  • Materials under review must remain available (not removed from the library location) and continue to be accessible for reservation, checkout, or access during review.

3) Protections for Library Staff

  • No library media specialist or other school employee shall face disciplinary action for selecting, retaining, or recommending materials in reasonable reliance on the district’s adopted policies.
  • This protection remains subject to the superintendent’s or board’s general supervisory authority, provided the supervision is not based on disagreement with the viewpoints in materials.

4) Implementation and Model Policies

  • The Commissioner, in consultation with the State Librarian and other stakeholders, shall issue regulations for implementing the act and develop model policies for districts.
  • School library systems (as defined by law) must develop and make available model policies for districts, including sample collection-development policies and sample reconsideration procedures. Districts may adopt or adapt these models.

5) Effective Date

  • The act takes effect July 1 of the year following enactment.
  • Immediately authorized: necessary rule/regulation changes to implement the act can be made and completed by the effective date.

Who/What Is Affected

  • New York school districts’ boards of education.
  • School library media staff and other school personnel involved in selecting and recommending library materials.
  • School library systems that provide guidance and model policies.
  • Students, parents, teachers, and administrators who participate in or are affected by material reconsideration processes.

Substantive Impact

  • Standardizes how complaints about library materials are submitted, reviewed, and decided.
  • Codifies protections for staff making material selections under district policies.
  • Enhances transparency by requiring public availability of policies and a clear appeal path, including potential state-level review.
  • Encourages ongoing development of model policies and procedures to support district implementation.

Timeline and Procedure Details

  • Policy adoption is required; districts must establish a reconsideration timeline and committee.
  • Final appeals can go to the local board of education, with a further right to appeal to the state Education Commissioner.
  • Effective date is July 1 following enactment; regulations and model policies to be promulgated by the state authorities.

Note: The bill text emphasizes that content-based removals or restrictions cannot be solely based on disagreement with ideas or identities and that access to materials must be maintained during review.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.