CITY COUNCIL REGULAR AGENDA PACKET

Assembly Bill No. 1825 CHAPTER 941 An act to add Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 19800) to Part 11 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the Education Code, relating to libraries. [Approved by Governor September 29, 2024. Filed with Secretary of State September 29, 2024.] legislative counsel’s digest AB 1825, Muratsuchi. California Freedom to Read Act. Existing law establishes a public library system, including school libraries, uniﬁed school district and union high school district public libraries, municipal libraries, county free libraries, the California State Library, and library districts. Under existing law, the Legislature declares that the public library is, among other things, a source of information and inspiration to persons of all ages, cultural backgrounds, and economic statuses. This bill would require every public library jurisdiction, as deﬁned, that directly receives any state funding to establish, adopt, and maintain a written and publicly accessible collection development policy for its libraries by January 1, 2026, as speciﬁed. The bill would require the collection development policy to, among other things, (1) guide the selection and deselection of library materials, as deﬁned, and (2) establish a process for community members to share their concerns regarding library materials and request materials be reconsidered for inclusion in the library’s collection. The bill would require the adopted policy to be sent to the State Librarian, and would authorize the State Librarian or their designee to provide technical assistance to public libraries in developing their collection development policy. The bill would prohibit the governing board or body of a public library, or any body or commission designated to review the procurement, retention, or circulation of, or access to, library materials, from (1) proscribing the circulation or procurement of, or access to, library materials in a public library because of the topic addressed by the library materials or because of the views, ideas, or opinions contained in materials or (2) creating policies or procedures that limit or restrict access to library materials offered by the public library, except as provided. The bill would also prohibit library materials in a public library from being excluded, and access to library materials from being limited, solely on the bases of (1) speciﬁed protected characteristics of a subject of the library materials, an author of the materials, the sources of the library materials, or the perceived or intended audience for the library materials, (2) that the materials contain inclusive and diverse perspectives, or (3) that the materials may include sexual content, except as provided. The bill would provide that a person’s right to use a public 90 STATE OF CALIFORNIA AUTHENTICATED ELECTRONIC LEGAL MATERIAL ATTACHMENT 1 Page 143 of 376