The law, which threatened imprisonment if librarians or booksellers provided ‘harmful’ content to minors, violates the First Amendment, a federal judge ruled.

Holly Dickson, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, said the law “was an attempt to ‘thought police,’ and this victory over totalitarianism is a testament to the courage of librarians, booksellers and readers who refused to bow to intimidation.”

Republicans passed the law in 2023, joining other conservative states and counties that have sought to restrict the availability of certain books.

"The law deputizes librarians and booksellers as the agents of censorship; when motivated by the fear of jail time, it is likely they will shelve only books fit for young children and segregate or discard the rest," U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks of ...

A federal judge struck down key parts of an Arkansas law that would have allowed criminal charges against librarians and booksellers for providing "harmful" materials to minors.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Arkansas celebrated the ruling, writing: “This was an attempt to 'thought police,' and this victory over totalitarianism is a testament to the courage of librarians, booksellers, and readers who refused to bow to intimidation.”

U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Brooks on Monday (Dec. 23) issued an order striking down key provisions in Act 372, an attempt by the Arkansas Legislature to censor library

A federal judge on Monday permanently blocked portions of Arkansas’ law that would have changed how librarians handle challenged materials and given elected officials the final say over what books are available to the public.

A federal judge has struck down as unconstitutional parts of an Arkansas law criminalizing librarians in a victory for free expression.