Bill Text: NH HB1311 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relative to school district collection development and reconsideration policies.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-2)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2024-05-30 - House Non-Concurs with Senate Amendment 2024-1945s (Rep. Ladd): Motion Adopted Voice Vote 05/30/2024 House Journal 15 P. 25 [HB1311 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2024-HB1311-Introduced.html
HB 1311 - AS INTRODUCED
2024 SESSION
24-2291
02/08
HOUSE BILL 1311
AN ACT relative to school district collection development and reconsideration policies.
SPONSORS: Rep. D. Paige, Carr. 1; Rep. Brennan, Merr. 9; Rep. DiLorenzo, Rock. 10; Rep. Germana, Ches. 1; Rep. Myler, Merr. 9; Rep. Tanner, Sull. 5; Rep. Bordes, Belk. 5; Rep. Thackston, Ches. 12; Rep. Telerski, Hills. 11; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21
COMMITTEE: Education
-----------------------------------------------------------------
ANALYSIS
This bill requires school boards to adopt policies governing library media collections and the reconsideration of library materials.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
24-2291
02/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four
AN ACT relative to school district collection development and reconsideration policies.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Paragraphs; Duties of State Board of Education. Amend RSA 186:11 by inserting after paragraph IX-d the following new paragraphs:
IX-e. Require school districts to adopt a policy governing collection development for the district’s library media centers. Such policy shall outline criteria for the selection and deaccession of library materials and must be written in substantial compliance with the aims and goals of RSA 354-A:27, including prohibitions on proscribing materials on the basis of authors’ or subjects’ age, sex, gender identity, race, creed, color, marital status, familial status, physical or mental disability, national origin or sexual orientation. Such policy shall further state that material shall not be proscribed on the basis of viewpoint. This paragraph does not prohibit a school district from adopting procedures required under paragraph IX-c of this section.
IX-f. Require school districts to adopt a policy governing the reconsideration of library materials. Such policy must be written in substantial compliance with the aims and goals of RSA 354-A:27, including prohibitions on removing materials on the basis of authors’ or subjects’ age, sex, gender identity, race, creed, color, marital status, familial status, physical or mental disability, national origin or sexual orientation. Such policy shall further state that material shall not be removed on the basis of viewpoint. Such policy shall establish a process by which parents and permanent guardians may submit a request for reconsideration to the school superintendent or principal where the student is enrolled alleging that certain library material is unsuitable on the basis of those selection criteria outlined in the district’s collection development policy. Such reconsideration policy shall define a process for review of the material that is the subject of the request and a timeline for resolution of the request. Such policy shall stipulate that access to the material that is subject to the request shall not be removed or restricted while review is pending. This paragraph does not prohibit a school district from adopting procedures required under paragraph IX-c of this section.
IX-g. When used in this chapter, "library materials" shall mean books, videos, databases, newspapers, magazines and other such periodicals, charts, graphs, movies, games, maps, interactive applications and software, and other such enrichment or entertainment materials made available in a school or classroom library in any printed or electronic format, inclusive of fiction and non-fiction.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2025.
