FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2025
CONTACT: [email protected]
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Legislator gave Senate Bill 13 its final approval and today sent the legislation that overhauls how public school library materials are selected and reviewed to the governor’s desk for signing.
The bill creates “local school library advisory councils” to evaluate both new and existing materials, mandates expanded parental access to school library catalogs, and allows parents to individually restrict their child’s access to specific books. Final decisions on school library content would rest with local school boards, not library professionals.
Texas Freedom Network Political Director Rocío Fierro-Pérez (she/her) issued the following response:
“With their vote, Texas lawmakers are fueling a coordinated, nationwide censorship campaign under the guise of parental rights. SB 13 gives small, politically motivated groups the power to purge school libraries of books that reflect diverse identities, histories, and viewpoints. Books by and about LGBTQIA+ people, Black and brown communities, and others who don’t fit a narrow political narrative are first on the chopping block.
“This legislation enables modern-day book bans, undermines the expertise of educators and librarians, and denies students the chance to see themselves and others reflected in what they read. Our schools should be centers of curiosity and critical thinking, not places where politicians and ideologues dictate what’s acceptable to learn. Texas families deserve better than a government that silences diverse voices and strips students of the freedom to read, learn, and grow.”
SB 13 can be signed or vetoed by Gov. Abbott by June 22. If the Governor takes no action on the bill by June 22, it automatically becomes law September 1.
