HB560 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Donna GivensRepresentative

Republican

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Public school libraries; collection development and acquisition policies provided for, local school advisory councils created, mechanism for written challenge of library materials provided, rights of parents provided for, State Board of Education authorized to adopt rules

Summary

HB560 would require local schools to ban harmful-to-minors library materials, approve items before they appear in catalogs, create parent-led advisory councils, establish a formal challenge process, and give parents access to catalogs and their child’s library records.

What This Bill Does

Local boards must adopt policies prohibiting harmful-to-minors library materials and require board approval before any library material is placed in the district’s catalog. The bill creates local school library advisory councils to advise on acquisition, grade-appropriateness, and removal of materials, with meeting and record-keeping requirements. It establishes a written challenge process; if a challenge is approved, the material is permanently removed from the catalog and classroom copies; if rejected, it remains available. Parents receive rights to access catalogs and their child’s library records, and may submit lists restricting their child’s checkout; the State Board may adopt rules to implement the act, and the law becomes effective October 1, 2025, with advisory councils due by October 1, 2026.

Who It Affects

• Students and their parents in public K-12 schools (including charter schools) who gain access to catalogs and the ability to challenge or restrict library materials for their child.
• Local boards of education, teachers, librarians, administrators, and other community stakeholders who must implement the new policies, run advisory councils, process challenges, and manage library materials.

Key Provisions

• Districts must adopt a collection policy that prohibits library materials harmful to minors and require board approval for any library material before it is placed in the school library catalog.
• A local school library advisory council must be established (at least five members; equal number appointed by the board; majority must be parents of district students not employed by the district) and may include nonvoting members such as teachers, librarians, counselors, administrators, business representatives, and clergy; councils advise on acquisition policies, grade-level appropriateness, collaboration opportunities, and removal of materials.
• The council must meet at least twice a year, keep minutes and recordings, and provide recommendations before library materials are added, removed, or policy changes are made; meetings must be open to the public.
• Written challenges to library materials are allowed; the State Board provides a form; the advisory council reviews the challenge and makes a recommendation within 90 days; the local board votes in a public meeting to accept or reject the challenge; if approved, the challenged material is permanently removed from the catalog and classroom copies are withdrawn.
• Parents have rights to access the school library catalog and their child’s library records; if a learning management system is used, parents may also access records of their child’s use of library materials outside the school library; parents may submit lists of materials their child may not check out or use outside the library, which district must accommodate.
• Districts must adopt policy by October 1, 2025 outlining procedures for acquisition, review of donated materials, public posting of proposed material lists at least 30 days before final approval, and public voting on materials, with exceptions for replacements or already-approved items; the State Board may adopt rules to implement the act, and the act becomes effective October 1, 2025.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Education