Illinois Bans Book Bans

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is touting a new law that he says makes Illinois the first state in the nation to outlaw book bans.

Pritzker signed the bill into law yesterday as states across the U.S. push to remove certain books in schools and libraries, especially those about LGBTQ+ themes and by people of color.

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said, “We are not saying that every book should be in every single library. What this law does is it says, let’s trust our experience and education of our librarians to decide what books should be in circulation.”

Illinois public libraries that restrict or ban materials because of “partisan or doctrinal” disapproval will be ineligible for state funding as of Jan. 1, 2024, when the law goes into effect.