Books are once again the subject of multiple bills in the Texas Legislature, as some lawmakers seek to make it easier to restrict books in schools and other settings.
One of the most impactful book bills to be considered in the 2025 legislative session is House Bill 183 by state Rep. Jared Patterson (R-Frisco). The bill would amend the Texas Education Act to allow parents to submit requests for access to library materials directly to the State Board of Education.
Parents can object to a book if they believe it is not grade-appropriate or contains “sexually explicit content.” School boards can decide whether a title is appropriate for all grade levels, only for some grades, or not at all.
If a book is challenged under the law, it will be restricted from viewing by students across the state until the board makes a decision. If the board labels a title inappropriate, it will be permanently unavailable to Texas students.
“If passed, this amendment would force states to take back books in children’s school libraries even if they don’t want to restrict or remove students’ access to books,” Anti-Censorship Group Texas・The Freedom to Read Project wrote about X (formerly known as X). As Twitter. “Even if the local board has strong policies and there are no challenges on the books.”
Critics of the law argue that because HB 183 does not limit the number of books a person can object to, the law would lead to mass book restrictions. Over the past few years, conservative groups, individuals, and state legislators have all compiled and distributed lists of hundreds of books they oppose having in schools.
These challenges disproportionately impact titles that include authors, characters, or topics related to the LGBTQ+ community or people of color. In Texas, former state Rep. Matt Kraus (R-Fort Worth) created a ban list of 850 books in 2021, 62% of which focused on LGBTQ+ people.
In a Nov. 12 statement about his proposed bill, Patterson used the anti-LGBTQ+ term “groomers” to refer to anti-book ban supporters.
The Texas Freedom to Read Project says, “By simply filing a challenge, serial book challengers will have the power to restrict access to and remove books for all Texas students. No matter how unfounded or absurd the complaint may be,” the Texas Freedom to Read Project said.
Texas school districts have recently received complaints related to books about a variety of seemingly uncontroversial matters, including Santa’s butt, a black girl’s haircut, an anxious ostrich, and a family of nine.
This upcoming legislative session also includes Senate Bill 88, filed by Republican Rockwall state Sen. Bob Hall. The legislation would remove the requirement that a book be evaluated in its entirety before being classified as “harmful to minors.” Under the relevant criminal laws, it is an offense to sell, rent or “display” this material to people under the age of 18.
Patterson has introduced another bill in the Texas House that would take away the right to claim “scientific, educational, governmental, or other similar” reasons for distributing material deemed harmful to minors. Submitted to.
In the 2023 legislative session, Paterson passed House Bill 900, which regulates materials sold or included in public school libraries. Parts of the law were blocked by a federal court after booksellers, publishers and authors sued over its “incomprehensible and vague standards.”
A 2023 analysis by Rice University’s James A. Baker III Public Policy Institute ranked Patterson as the most representative of the right.
