With a 49-45 vote, House lawmakers passed Senate Bill 2307, legislation that will require school and public libraries to relocate books bill proponents say contain “sexually explicit” content to areas not easily accessible by minors.
The ACLU of North Dakota opposes Senate Bill 2307. Removing a book from the shelf isn’t the only method that amounts to censorship. Moving it to a less accessible section for its intended readers, like what is being proposed in Senate Bill 2307, is an example of soft censorship and runs counter to the American tradition of encouraging the free flow of information and ideas.
“To be sure, no one is going to agree on the merits of every book on a library’s shelf. But who decides what is considered obscene or sexually explicit? Government officials cannot impose their personal moral values on others,” said Cody Schuler, ACLU of North Dakota advocacy manager. “If you don't like a book, don't read it – or don't let your kids read it. It's as simple as that. Removing books with content some deem objectionable or obscene or moving them to a part of the library that's off limits to kids is not the answer.”
Additionally, a fiscal note estimated that Senate Bill 2307 will cost the state nearly $2 million through 2029 to comply with the bill – the estimated cost to add an age-verification system for an online database used by North Dakota libraries.
“That’s a hefty price tag for North Dakota taxpayers, to be sure. But the cost goes beyond dollars and cents,” Schuler said. “Passing Senate Bill 2307 and censoring books will also lead to broader economic and social consequences, as reduced innovation, stifled creativity and a less informed public.
About the ACLU of North Dakota
The American Civil Liberties Union of North Dakota is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of civil liberties and civil rights. The ACLU of North Dakota is part of a three-state chapter that also includes South Dakota and Wyoming. The team in North Dakota is supported by staff in those states.
The ACLU believes freedoms of press, speech, assembly and religion, and the rights to due process, equal protection and privacy, are fundamental to a free people. In addition, the ACLU seeks to advance constitutional protections for groups traditionally denied their rights, including people of color, women and LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit communities. The ACLU of North Dakota carries out its work through selective litigation, lobbying at the state and local level, and through public education and awareness of what the Bill of Rights means for the people of North Dakota.
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