Source: floridaphoenix.com 1/27/26
Access by children to library materials could be at stake.
A Florida House committee sent to the House floor a bill that would define how school library materials may be “harmful to minors,” building on a controversial 2023 law that led to removal of library books from schools based on objections from the public.
The House Education & Employment Committee approved HB 1119, its second and final committee, despite concerns from the public, some lawmakers, and advocacy groups that the bill may be used to eliminate books that discuss experiences of people in the LGBTQ community or stories depicting harsh realities. Others worried it could keep some students from being interested in reading.
The bill and its identical Senate companion would add to state law a definition of what is to be considered “harmful to minors.”
The definition the lawmakers propose: “any reproduction, imitation, characterization, description, exhibition, presentation, or representation, of whatever kind or form, depicting nudity, sexual conduct, or sexual excitement when it: predominantly appeals to prurient, shameful, or morbid interest; and is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community as a whole with respect to what is suitable material or conduct for minors.”
Supporters of the bill emphasized the need to keep “pornography” away from students in schools, especially considering the materials are paid for with tax dollars.
The bill ran aground last year amid concern it would …
None of those fools remember what was in their libraries while they were growing up and it didnt “affect them for life, or cause mental issues”. America is truly turning its youth into infants, incapable of handling anything.
This is a clear example of how emotion can drive policy more than evidence. The goal of protecting kids is understandable, but defining what is “harmful” is broad and can lead to laws that prioritize reassurance over actual harm. It can even take away useful materials for a proper education, since not everything someone is emotionally opposed to is truly harmful. This shows how fear can shape lawmaking, even when evidence suggests a different approach.
This is obviously a slippery slope that doesn’t end well. The bible contains incest, multiple mentions of fornication, advocates for violence on women and children, etc. Do you think Florida will ban the bible?
Floriduh lawmaker’s stupidity is harmful to minors, so why not ban them from office.
Remember, SCOTUS said long ago they’d know porn when they’d see it, so FLA lawmakers feel the same context when it comes to minors and harmful content which is usually very subjective as we see daily.