Time's running out on a bill that would remove an exemption for librarians and educators from a law that prohibits exposing minors to pornography.
Rep. Ann Lucas's House Bill 194 in the Wyoming House has until Friday – tomorrow - to make it out of the House Judiciary Committee. And supporters of the bill are hearing that, sorry, it looks like the bill is not going to make it to the top of the pile in time. Maybe next year.
Which is kind of surprising, given the new, more conservative nature of the Wyoming House of Representatives this year, and the pitched battles we have seen around the state, in Casper, Gillette, Lander, Cheyenne and elsewhere, over books in school and public libraries that many parents deem inappropriate for young readers.
You'll recall that in October of 2023, Cowboy State Daily ran an eye-opening series of stories by reporter Clair McFarland showing text and illustrations from the book “Gender Queer,” which school officials in Natrona County ultimately decided was appropriate for high schools in Casper. That's despite the fact that even the author of “Gender Queer” has agreed that the book may be inappropriate for younger readers.
In Gillette, the battle over what books are appropriate ultimately saw the departure of a head librarian, and new members appointed to the library board. Tenacious parents there disagreed with the notion that not putting such books on the shelves could constitute a violation of the First Amendment, as if every book ever written had to be on the shelves, or it would be a violation of free speech. Preposterous.
The one thing you notice about this particular issue – which really fires up the social media crowd – is how quickly those who oppose restrictions on what is deemed appropriate in libraries resort to accusations of “book banning.” Visions of Nazi storm troopers burning piles of books in 1930s Germany come to mind. Even Joe Biden lamented “banning books” in his litany of scattershot complaints about Republicans.
In every instance I'm aware of, however, concerned parents have wanted the books their children are exposed to in school and public libraries to be age appropriate. It's common sense. And they're not advocating banning the books, just not putting them on shelves accessible to young children, or in some instances, to older students as well. Nobody's talking about banning books. They're readily available in book stores, and even on cell phones. (When was the last time you saw a kid without a cell phone?)
Chelsie Collier, a member of the Campbell County Library Board in Gillette for the last three years, and an educator, laid out the issue pretty clearly last Monday for the House Judiciary Committee.
“Currently, if I as an adult in our community give a minor one of these sexually explicit books, I can be charged with disseminating obscenity to children,” Collier said. “If a librarian or an educator does the same act, they walk away Scott free.
“This loophole has allowed our liberal media outlets and publishers to promote sexually explicit material to minors, without the oversight of parental consent, other than a library card. A library card that some say they can get as young as three years old.”
Given the intensity of this debate in communities all over the state, this would be a poor time to bottle up House Bill 194 in committee, a victim of simply not enough time to get through the stack of bills. One would think that our new common-sense House leadership would at least agree to let this bill out of committee, and proceed to the House floor for debate by the whole body. It deserves as much.
Powerful interests representing libraries and schools oppose eliminating this exemption. But it will be a sad day if parents - who just want some common sense from our librarians and teachers regarding what our kids are exposed to - see this bill die for lack of time in committee.
At least let the bill out of committee, for a good hearing on the floor of the House. To do otherwise would be the first hint that not much has changed in the House.
Dave Simpson can be reached at: DaveSimpson145@hotmail.com
