State Representative Lipper-Garabedian Joins Massachusetts House to Protect Free Expression, Guard Massachusetts Against Book Bans

Bill would protect access to library materials and shield Massachusetts from politically motivated book bans

BOSTON – Wednesday, June 10, 2026 – State Representative Kate Lipper-Garabedian (D-Melrose) joined the Massachusetts House of Representatives today to pass a bill protecting residents’ access to library materials and guarding against politically motivated book bans in the Commonwealth’s school libraries and public libraries. The bill requires local policies to be developed using nationally recognized library standards and lays out a process around challenges to library materials. The bill also protects librarians and school library professionals from retaliation.

“At a time when the federal government and other states attempt to abandon truth and limit speech, Massachusetts is standing up for facts and faces at risk of erasure” said Representative Lipper-Garabedian. “We know what recent attempts to ban books are about. They’re targeting marginalized communities, including LGBTQ+ people and communities of color; they’re challenging themes of racial justice; and they’re rejecting the uncomfortable truths of our nation’s history. In the last school year alone, there were nearly 70,000 book bans in schools across almost half of the United States, including uncontested American masterpieces like To Kill a Mockingbird and The Catcher and the Rye. Our House bill makes sure that school library materials are age-appropriate, serve an educational purpose, and are chosen based on a librarian’s professional training. We make sure that our students otherwise have access to literature and information that speaks to them and connects them to the broader world. Particularly during Pride Month, it is crucial that we empower our young people to explore and learn about the beautiful diversity in each and every one of our communities.”

“As Republican politicians across the country work to remove books from schools that don’t fit their strict ideological world view, this legislation is representative of the Commonwealth’s commitment to ensuring that our schools remain a place where learning is valued above all else, and where students are exposed to the experiences of people from all walks of life,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “I want to thank Chair Michlewitz, Chair Garballey, Representative Moran, and Representative Scanlon for their hard work on this bill, as well as all my colleagues in the House for recognizing the need for these vital protections."

In Massachusetts, attempts to restrict access through book bans are on the rise, according to the Massachusetts Library Association. The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) queried public libraries about attempts to censor and restrict access, and in 2025, public libraries reported 33 formal challenges, more than in seven years combined. Informal challenges in public libraries also continued to increase with 86 libraries reporting 3,093 informal challenges to materials, services, and programs. This trend reflects national data collected by the American Library Association (ALA) which has tracked a sharp surge in censorship attempts since 2021, with a record high in 2023 of 1,247 attempts nationally.

School Libraries

The bill passed today adds to the rights and responsibilities of students the right to receive information, including school library materials deemed educational and age appropriate. School library materials—including books, textbooks, curricula, instructional materials, and other library resources—must be age appropriate and serve an educational purpose.

Under the bill, determinations about whether materials are age appropriate must be made by qualified school library professionals using their professional training and expertise, and not based on personal, political, or doctrinal beliefs. In districts without a licensed school library teacher, the responsibility falls to the designated school official responsible for library collections.

Under the bill, every school district would be required to adopt a written policy governing the selection and use of school library materials and facilities. These policies must align with standards established by the ALA and include a clear process for handling complaints and challenges to library materials. School districts would file their policies annually with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and report any challenges or attempts to remove or restrict materials.

The bill also establishes a formal review process for challenged materials. Any challenged item would remain available while the review is underway. A review committee appointed by the superintendent and school committee would conduct a public hearing and make a recommendation. School committees could remove materials only after determining, based on clear and convincing evidence, that the material lacks educational, literary, artistic, personal, or social value and is not age appropriate for any student attending the school. Students and parents would have the right to appeal those decisions.

The legislation protects school library professionals from disciplinary action, loss of licensure, transfer, fines, or other penalties related to the selection of library materials.

Public Libraries

Under this bill, public libraries would be required to adopt and publicly post written policies governing the selection and use of library materials and facilities. These policies must incorporate the ALA’s Bill of Rights and ensure that materials are not selected, restricted, or removed based on personal, political, or doctrinal viewpoints.

The MBLC would provide resources and model policies to help public libraries and school districts develop or update their local policies. Through the Massachusetts Library System, the board would support libraries in implementing best practices and responding to challenges.

The legislation also protects librarians by prohibiting disciplinary actions, involuntary transfers, loss of certification, fines, or other penalties related to their professional decisions regarding library collections.

The bill requires MBLC to submit an annual report to the Legislature detailing book challenges and their impacts on communities across the Commonwealth. The report would include information about the libraries involved, the materials challenged, and the outcomes of those challenges.

The bill passed the House of Representatives 153-3 and now goes to the Senate for further consideration.

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