HB 119 DE

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Became Law

This Act establishes the following principles in regards to public library material: (1) Library material is provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all persons the library serves; (2) Library material should not be excluded, removed, or prohibited from a catalogue because of the origin, background, or views of a persons who created the material; (3) Material should not be excluded, removed, or prohibited from a library because of partisan, ideological, or religious disapproval. This Act requires that public libraries adopt a library collection development policy consistent with the foregoing principles. The written policy must include the policy and procedure that libraries will follow when receiving and reviewing objections to library material. It further requires that all library material that is under review due to an objection must remain available for use by library patrons until the review process is concluded. It also prohibits the governing body of a library from suspending, disciplining, or otherwise retaliating against an employee of a library that acts in accordance with the State principles and media content policy. This Act also creates similar requirements for school libraries and requires that public schools create policies and procedures for reviewing objections to school library material that conform to the established collection development policy for school libraries. Within these policies and procedures, school libraries must include: (1) a uniform process to submit an objection to material in a school library; (2) a requirement that material under review due to an objection remain available for use by students and school personnel until the review process is concluded; and (3) a reasonable timeline to conduct and conclude the review process. An appeal of a decision determining whether school library material may remain in the school library may be made to the board of the local education agency. A final appeal from the decision of the board of the local education agency may be made to a School Library Review Committee, which is made up of the following individuals or the individual’s designee: (1) The President of the School Chiefs’ Association. (2) The State Librarian. (3) The Secretary of the Department of Education. (4) The President of the Delaware State Education Association. (5) The President of the Association of School Administrators. (6) The President of the Delaware Association of School Librarians. (7) The President of the Delaware Library Association.

• Krista Griffith Democratic · primary
• Russell Huxtable Democratic · primary
• Marie Pinkney Democratic · primary
• William Bush Democratic · primary
• Josue O Ortega Democratic · primary
• Laura V. Sturgeon Democratic · primary
• Darius J. Brown Democratic · primary
• Ray Seigfried Democratic · primary
• Eric Morrison Democratic · primary
• Melanie Ross Levin Democratic · primary
• Dave G. Lawson Republican · primary
• Trey Paradee Democratic · primary
• Cyndie Romer Democratic · primary
• Mara Gorman Democratic · primary
• Claire Snyder-Hall Democratic · primary
• Sarah McBride · primary
• David P. Sokola Democratic · primary

1. Apr 15, 2025 Introduced and Assigned to Administration Committee in House · lower
2. May 7, 2025 Reported Out of Committee (Administration) in House with 3 On Its Merits · lower
3. May 20, 2025 Amendment HA 1 to HB 119 - Introduced and Placed With Bill · lower
4. May 22, 2025 Amendment HA 2 to HB 119 - Introduced and Placed With Bill · lower
5. May 22, 2025 Amendment HA 3 to HB 119 - Introduced and Placed With Bill · lower
6. May 22, 2025 Amendment HA 4 to HB 119 - Introduced and Placed With Bill · lower
7. May 22, 2025 Amendment HA 5 to HB 119 - Introduced and Placed With Bill · lower
8. May 22, 2025 Amendment HA 6 to HB 119 - Introduced and Placed With Bill · lower
9. May 22, 2025 Amendment HA 7 to HB 119 - Introduced and Placed With Bill · lower
10. May 22, 2025 Amendment HA 1 to HB 119 - Passed In House by Voice Vote · lower
11. May 22, 2025 Amendment HA 2 to HB 119 - Defeated In House by Voice Vote · lower
12. May 22, 2025 Amendment HA 3 to HB 119 - Defeated In House by Voice Vote · lower
13. May 22, 2025 Amendment HA 4 to HB 119 - Stricken in House · lower
14. May 22, 2025 Amendment HA 5 to HB 119 - Stricken in House · lower
15. May 22, 2025 Amendment HA 6 to HB 119 - Defeated In House by Voice Vote · lower
16. May 22, 2025 Amendment HA 7 to HB 119 - Passed In House by Voice Vote · lower
17. May 22, 2025 Amendment HA 8 to HB 119 - Passed In House by Voice Vote · lower
18. May 22, 2025 Passed By House. Votes: 27 YES 10 NO 4 ABSENT · lower
19. May 22, 2025 Assigned to Elections & Government Affairs Committee in Senate · upper
20. Jun 18, 2025 Reported Out of Committee (Elections & Government Affairs) in Senate with 1 Favorable, 3 On Its Merits · upper
21. Jun 30, 2025 Passed By Senate. Votes: 14 YES 6 NO 1 ABSENT · upper
22. Sep 15, 2025 Signed by Governor · executive