2 days ago • 99%

Key parts of Arkansas law allowing criminal charges against librarians are unconstitutional, federal judge rules

www.cbsnews.com Key parts of Arkansas law allowing criminal charges against librarians are unconstitutional, federal judge rules

A federal judge struck down key parts of an Arkansas law that would have allowed criminal charges against librarians and booksellers for providing "harmful" materials to minors.

Summary

A federal judge struck down key parts of an Arkansas law (Act 372) that would have allowed criminal charges against librarians and booksellers for providing “harmful” materials to minors, deeming them unconstitutional.

The law, signed by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders in 2023, sought to relocate challenged library materials to restricted areas but faced opposition from groups like the ACLU, citing censorship concerns.

Supporters argue the law protects children from obscene content, and the state plans to appeal.

Similar restrictive book laws have been passed in other conservative states.

15 comments

When I tell people one of the reasons we're taking advantage of my dual nationality and emigrating is that my wife is a librarian, they think it's a joke.

It's not a fucking joke.

I will put money on SCOTUS reversing this and making it legal to arrest librarians for corrupting the youth.

14
- Some states give librarians the authority to issue arrest warrants if the value of overdue books is over a certain amount. Just saying.
  
  -5
  
  So you're saying this is just fair play? Really?
  
  FYI: My wife's library doesn't even have overdue fines. We're in Indiana where she can already be arrested for allowing minors to access certain information deemed unsuitable.
  
  5
This is something they love to do. Pass a law they know is unconstitutional and then use the power of the state to fight for it. The Left has to waste money they could be spending on political campaigns while the taxpayers foot the legal expenses. And they get to crow about 'activist' judges undermining the will of the people.

39
- It's worse than that. Their goal is to throw the legal equivalent to spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks. Sometimes they get lucky and then you have a brick to add to historical precedence.
  
  Hell, the age verification porn law is seen as unconstitutional but it's held on.
  
  42
  
  Any reason the Dems are not doing the same?
  
  3
  
  Actually getting the law in place is gravy.
  
  Look at overturning Roe V. Wade. That energized a lot of Dems.
  
  1
Up the ladder it goes, then. Unfortunately, the ladder ends in a fascist-majority Supreme Court.

36
So its ok when there in porn in a google advert?

1

You've viewed 15 comments.