A new measure could end state funding to the American Library Association, which parents have criticized for promoting inappropriate books in public libraries.
House Bill 2572, filed by State Rep. Brian Harrison (R-Midlothian), would stop school and public libraries from using taxpayer funds to become a member of the ALA, attend ALA conferences, or otherwise financially support the group.
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission ended its contract with the ALA in 2023 after the association elected a self-proclaimed Marxist as its president who said she wanted to create a “socialist vision for public libraries.”
Harrison called for the commission to cut ties with the association, which has also opposed efforts to remove pornographic materials from children’s sections in libraries.
“I was proud to have successfully forced the Texas State Library and Archives Commission to cut ties with the American Library Association (ALA) after they elected a self-described ‘socialist’ and ‘Marxist lesbian’ President,” Harrison told Texas Scorecard. “I have now filed HB 2572 to ensure that no Texas tax dollars are sent to the ALA at all. Texas should be leading the fight against dangerous Marxist ideology, not subsidizing it.”
The ALA opposes all attempts to restrict access to library materials based on readers’ age.
Dan Kleinman, a self-proclaimed “library watchdog,” has been chronicling instances of inappropriate content in libraries as a result of ALA and has started an alternative to the group.
“The World Library Association would like to provide some kind of counterbalance to this big group that has been pushing these inappropriate books that they have been for decades,” Kleinman said.
If passed, the measure would take effect September 1.
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