HB 1146 Missouri House · 2025 Regular Session

Establishes provisions relating to the reconsideration of materials in a public library or public school library

HB 1146 requires public libraries and school libraries to create and publicly post clear policies for reviewing community complaints about library materials. It mandates that anyone filing a complaint must sign an affidavit confirming they read the material and live in the library’s district, and it prohibits removing materials before this review process. The bill specifically governs digital library materials (like e-books and databases), requiring removals to happen at the title or article level without disrupting other access, and bans tracking of individual user access. It also protects library staff from retaliation for refusing to remove materials before a proper review under the new policy.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 30, 2025 Last action May 13, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → House Committee Substitute · 7 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to narrow its scope from covering both public and school libraries to only public libraries, and to simplify definitions and requirements for library reconsideration processes. These changes reduce the regulatory burden on school districts while maintaining protections for digital library content.

Scope change

The bill now applies only to public libraries, removing references to school libraries from most provisions.

SCOPE

Removed all references to school libraries, limiting the bill's requirements to public libraries only.

DEFINITION

Simplified definitions by removing 'library materials' and 'reconsideration' definitions that referenced school libraries, and changed 'library materials' to just 'materials'.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the reconsideration process to apply only to public libraries, removing school library-specific requirements.

Added a requirement that digital library curation must be applied at the local library system level rather than the individual user level.

Strengthened privacy protections by clarifying that digital library resources cannot track or notify third parties about individual user access.

ELIGIBILITY

Modified the eligibility requirements for requesting reconsideration to apply only to public library patrons who hold a library card for that specific public library.

ENFORCEMENT

Removed protections for school library employees regarding refusal to remove materials before review, limiting protections to public library employees only.

Floor votes

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 13, 2025

Committee

Referred: Rules - Legislative(H)

lower

Apr 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

HCS Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 20 NOES: 1 PRESENT: 0

lower

Apr 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

HCS Voted Do Pass (H)

lower

Mar 19, 2025

Committee

Referred: Elementary and Secondary Education(H)

lower

Jan 30, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Read First Time (H)

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors