Delaware House Bill 119
Session 153
An Act To Amend Titles 9, 14, And 29 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Libraries.
Became Law
Signed by Governor on Sep 15, 2025
First Action
Apr 15, 2025
Latest Action
Sep 15, 2025
Origin Chamber
House
Type
Bill
Bill Number
119
State
Delaware
Session
153
Sarah McBride
grade
Primary
checkPassed on May 22, 2025
Motion Text
SM
House Roll Call Votes
Yes
Yes
Other
Yes
Other
Yes
Yes
Other
Other
Yes
Summary
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.
Bill Text
HA 1 to HB 119
HA 7 to HB 119
Sort by most recent
09/15/2025
Office of the Governor
Signed by Governor
06/30/2025
Senate
Passed By Senate. Votes: 14 YES 6 NO 1 ABSENT
06/18/2025
Senate
Reported Out of Committee (Elections & Government Affairs) in Senate with 1 Favorable, 3 On Its Merits
05/22/2025
Senate
Assigned to Elections & Government Affairs Committee in Senate
05/22/2025
House
Passed By House. Votes: 27 YES 10 NO 4 ABSENT
05/22/2025
House
Amendment HA 8 to HB 119 - Passed In House by Voice Vote
05/22/2025
House
Amendment HA 7 to HB 119 - Passed In House by Voice Vote
05/22/2025
House
Amendment HA 6 to HB 119 - Defeated In House by Voice Vote
05/22/2025
House
Amendment HA 5 to HB 119 - Stricken in House
05/22/2025
House
Amendment HA 4 to HB 119 - Stricken in House
05/22/2025
House
Amendment HA 3 to HB 119 - Defeated In House by Voice Vote
05/22/2025
House
Amendment HA 2 to HB 119 - Defeated In House by Voice Vote
05/22/2025
House
Amendment HA 1 to HB 119 - Passed In House by Voice Vote
05/22/2025
House
Amendment HA 7 to HB 119 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
05/22/2025
House
Amendment HA 6 to HB 119 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
05/22/2025
House
Amendment HA 5 to HB 119 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
05/22/2025
House
Amendment HA 4 to HB 119 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
05/22/2025
House
Amendment HA 3 to HB 119 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
05/22/2025
House
Amendment HA 2 to HB 119 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
05/20/2025
House
Amendment HA 1 to HB 119 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
05/07/2025
House
Reported Out of Committee (Administration) in House with 3 On Its Merits
04/15/2025
House
Introduced and Assigned to Administration Committee in House
Sources
Open States
Record Created
Apr 15, 2025 6:08:27 PM
Record Updated
Sep 23, 2025 6:21:35 PM