A new bill that gives Texas parents and school boards more control over public school library books is now awaiting approval from Governor Greg Abbott.
The bill, Senate Bill 13, was introduced by Senator Angela Paxton, a Republican from McKinney. It was sent to the governor’s desk on Tuesday after both the Texas House and Senate approved the final version over the weekend.
SB 13 creates a process for challenging and removing books from school libraries. It gives school boards the power to override librarians’ decisions about which books are allowed in campus libraries.
According to the bill, school boards must create policies for their districts about which books can be added or removed. They may also set up library advisory councils to help with this work. These councils would be made up mostly of parents from the district, but can also include people not connected to the schools.
The bill also lets parents submit lists of books their children are not allowed to borrow from the school library.
Supporters say the bill will keep inappropriate books away from students. Representative Brad Buckley, a Republican from Salado, said the bill will stop libraries from pushing certain agendas.
“SB 13 understands that for too long, our libraries have been filled with agendas. It’s time to end that,” Buckley said during debate. “The way to do that is to empower local leaders and parents to find solutions.”
Representative Hillary Hickland, a Republican from Belton, called the content some children see “wicked, vile filth.” She said parents’ trust in public schools has been broken.
Opponents argue the bill goes too far and could limit learning opportunities. Representative Vicky Goodwin, a Democrat from Austin, said that while protecting kids from pornography and harmful content is important, decisions about books should be made by education and library experts.
“Our local school districts already have book policies in place,” Goodwin said.
Representative Jolanda Jones, a Democrat from Houston, criticized the bill for allowing some people who are not parents to join advisory councils.
“SB 13 gives a handpicked group the power to cancel culture, censor curiosity, and control what every child can read—even if they don’t represent the entire district,” Jones said.
Despite disagreements over details, lawmakers worked out their differences in a conference committee. The bill is now headed to Governor Abbott for his final decision.
