This bill mandates that school boards create policies for the development and reconsideration of their library media collections, which must be posted on the district's website. The policies must comply with RSA 354-A:27, ensuring that materials are not selected or removed based on the authors' or subjects' age, sex, gender identity, race, creed, color, marital status, familial status, physical or mental disability, national origin, or sexual orientation, and not primarily on the basis of viewpoint. The bill outlines the minimum requirements for these policies, including criteria for selecting and deaccessioning materials, and establishes a process for parents and guardians to request reconsideration of materials they consider unsuitable, without restricting access to the material during the review.

Additionally, the bill requires school districts to adopt policies for handling complaints from parents or guardians regarding materials they believe to be harmful to minors, age-inappropriate, or otherwise offensive. Complaints must be submitted in writing, and the school principal or designee must investigate and make a determination within specific time frames. The bill details the steps of the complaint resolution process, including the right to appeal to the school board, which must make the challenged material publicly available during the appeal process and issue a written decision after a recorded roll call vote. The term "library materials" is defined broadly to include a variety of printed and electronic formats. The act is set to take effect on January 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 186:11
As Amended by the Senate: 186:11