All Roll Calls
Yes: 115 • No: 141
Rhode IslandH57262025 Regular SessionHouseWALLET
AN ACT RELATING TO LIBRARIES -- THE FREEDOM TO READ ACT .
Sponsored By: David Morales (Democratic)
Signed by Governor
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 7 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Families can sue over school censorship
Students or their parents or guardians can sue a government body over censorship at the school the student attends. Damages range from $500 to $5,000 per censored work. Winning plaintiffs are entitled to reasonable legal fees and related costs, including expert fees. Cases must be filed within three years of the violation. Government funds cannot pay damages or related costs assessed under the act; government actors have a defense for directly compelled compliance with binding state or federal authority.
Students keep library access during challenges
School committees cannot censor library materials because of their origin, background, or views, or those of their creators. The education commissioner and chief of library services must create model collection and review policies. School committees must adopt them unless their policies already comply when the law takes effect. Teaching staff, enrolled students, and their parents or guardians can submit a review form to the principal. Requesters must review the whole work; materials stay in place and available throughout review, with a certified school librarian participating and an appeal available. School librarians choose materials under approved policies, without having to acquire any particular work.
Library workers gain stronger legal protections
Public- and school-library staff are immune from civil and criminal liability for good-faith actions under this law. Librarians can sue government bodies for discipline, firing, or threats of either for refusing to censor materials. Remedies include damages, punitive damages, court orders, and other appropriate relief. Winning plaintiffs are entitled to reasonable legal fees and related costs, including expert fees. Retaliation cases must be filed within three years of the violation.
Creators and booksellers gain censorship remedies
Authors, booksellers, and publishers can sue the government body censoring their library materials. They can seek court orders and $500 to $5,000 in damages per censored work. Winning plaintiffs are entitled to reasonable legal fees and related costs, including expert fees. Cases must be filed within three years of the violation. Separate recoveries for the same work can be available to different claimant groups under the law.
Narrower criminal rules for sharing materials
The law narrows the standards for obscenity prosecutions involving commercial promotion and for material shared with minors. Under Rhode Island General Laws § 11-31-1, works are judged as a whole. Covered material must clearly depict defined sexual conduct in a patently offensive way and clearly lack serious literary, artistic, educational, political, or scientific value. Under § 11-31-10, material shared with minors is also judged as a whole. It must be patently offensive under adult-community standards for minors and clearly lack those kinds of serious value for minors.
Public libraries gain stronger reading protections
Public-library boards cannot censor materials because of their origin, background, or views, or those of their creators. Substantive reasons for blocking or removing materials must be written and public. The chief of library services must create model collection and challenge policies; boards must adopt them unless existing policies comply. Challenges require whole-work review, continued access, a librarian's participation, and an appeal; requesters must be served residents living in the library's municipality. Librarians choose materials under approved policies, but need not acquire any particular work. Government bodies cannot cut funding because a public library follows this law.
Schools and libraries gain prosecution defenses
Legitimate schools, museums, and public libraries gain a legal defense in prosecutions under Rhode Island General Laws §§ 11-31-1 and 11-31-10. The defense also covers their employees and officials acting in their jobs. Defendants who assert this defense are entitled to reasonable legal fees and costs after dismissal or acquittal.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
David Morales
Democratic • House
Cosponsors
Edith H. Ajello
Democratic • House
Jennifer Boylan
Democratic • House
Lauren H. Carson
Democratic • House
Megan L. Cotter
Democratic • House
Joshua J. Giraldo
Democratic • House
Arthur Handy
Democratic • House
Rebecca M. Kislak
Democratic • House
June Speakman
Democratic • House
Jennifer A. Stewart
Democratic • House
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 6/20/2025
RELATING TO LIBRARIES -- THE FREEDOM TO READ ACT In Concurrence Passage
Yes: 31 • No: 5
House vote • 6/16/2025
LIBRARIES - FREEDOM TO READ ACT PASSAGE PASSAGE OF AMENDMENT
Yes: 11 • No: 62
House vote • 6/16/2025
LIBRARIES - FREEDOM TO READ ACT PASSAGE PASSAGE OF AMENDMENT
Yes: 11 • No: 63
House vote • 6/16/2025
LIBRARIES - FREEDOM TO READ ACT PASSAGE
Yes: 62 • No: 11
Actions Timeline
Signed by Governor — Chapter 416
7/2/2025GovernorTransmitted to Governor
6/27/2025GovernorSenate passed Sub A in concurrence
6/20/2025SenatePlaced on Senate Calendar (06/20/2025)
6/18/2025SenateHouse passed Sub A
6/16/2025HousePlaced on House Calendar (06/16/2025)
6/13/2025HouseCommittee recommends passage of Sub A
6/12/2025Proposed Substitute
6/11/2025Scheduled for consideration (06/12/2025)
6/10/2025Committee recommended measure be held for further study
4/3/2025Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/03/2025)
3/28/2025Introduced, referred to House State Government & Elections
2/26/2025House
Bill Text
H5726 - As Introduced
2/26/2025
H5726 - Substitute
2/26/2025
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