Arkansas State Library Board Approves Proposal Aimed at Keeping It; Meanwhile, Lawmaker Introduces Language in Appropriation Bill to Prohibit Funds to ALA-Affiliated Libraries

From the Arkansas Advocate:

The Arkansas State Library Board approved a motion to create “non-binding policies to protect children” in the state’s public libraries at a special meeting conducted via videoconference Thursday afternoon.

Lupe Peña de Martinez of Mabelvale, the board member who proposed the motion, said she spoke “at length” with Republican state Sen. Dan Sullivan of Jonesboro last week about his proposed law to abolish the State Library Board.

“‘Develop non-binding policies to protect children and I will pull Senate Bill 184’ were his exact words to me at least two or three times in our conversation,” Peña de Martinez said.

She noted that Sullivan did not use the term “sexually explicit,” a term conservatives have used to denote content inappropriate for minors.

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By the same 4-3 vote, the board narrowly rejected two motions Rapert made Thursday: one to eliminate all references to the American Library Association from the board’s documents, and one to create an ad hoc committee of board members that would make recommendations to “protect children from sexually explicit materials” in public libraries.

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Late Wednesday night, Sullivan submitted an amendment to the State Library’s fiscal year 2026 appropriation bill, House Bill 1127. Under the proposal, the State Library would not be allowed to “budget, allocate, or expend any funding to any library” that is affiliated with the ALA, including as a member; refers to ALA in any of its official documents; or “makes payments or grants of any kind” to the organization.”

The State Library Board would be required to make quarterly reports on libraries’ use of state funds to the Joint Budget Committee during legislative sessions and the Arkansas Legislative Council when the Legislature is not in session. Libraries that use state funds for ALA-related activities would be required to return the funds to the State Library.

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