North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong vetoed a bill that aimed to restrict books with explicit sexual content from being accessible to minors in public and school libraries. The bill would have imposed penalties on those who carry such books, including jail time or fines. Armstrong criticized the legislation as an overreach and censorship of morality. He highlighted the vague and punitive burdens it would place on professionals and the potential unintended consequences for communities.
The bill’s process for handling complaints about books was described as convoluted, involving multiple steps and potential criminal prosecution for librarians. The governor emphasized the importance of having all types of literature available in libraries, leaving parental decisions regarding age-appropriateness to individuals.
The American Civil Liberties Union of North Dakota praised Armstrong’s decision to veto the bill, emphasizing the importance of freedom to choose what to read. It is uncertain if the state senate will override the governor’s veto. Similar censorship bills targeting books accessible to minors have been proposed in other states, leading to debates about freedom of access to information.
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