Substitute House Bill No. 5417 mandates that by January 1, 2025, each local and regional board of education must establish a policy for the evaluation of library materials in public schools that are subject to removal, restriction, or qualified complaints. The policy must include a complaint form on the school's website, a process for submitting complaints, the formation of a review committee, and a specified process and timeframe for the committee to evaluate materials and respond to complaints. The bill ensures that no library material can be removed or restricted until the committee has completed its evaluation and made a final decision, which must be posted on the board's website. The bill also requires that reasons for removal or restriction be provided and prohibits the removal or restriction of materials based on partisan content, the author's or characters' race, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, political or religious views, the author's perspective on current events, or content related to sexual health appropriate for the age and grade level of students.

The bill, which is set to take effect on July 1, 2024, does not apply to materials that are part of classroom instruction or to the process of clearing out materials that are no longer useful. It has no fiscal impact as districts are expected to comply using existing resources. The bill includes insertions that outline the prohibited criteria for censoring library materials, aiming to prevent the limitation of educational content based on subjective biases or the discomfort of individuals in authority. The Education Committee has taken action on the bill, resulting in a Joint Favorable Substitute with a vote of 28 in favor and 17 against on March 20, 2024.