Link; HB 314
Image; Idaho Falls public library card
Idaho HB No.314 defines many things. One of these definitions is "'Sexual conduct' means any act of masturbation, homosexuality, sexual intercourse, or physical contact with a person's clothed or unclothed genitals, pubic area, buttocks or, if such person be a female, the breast." The specific mention in this definition that got my attention was the linking of homosexuality (of any degree) to sexual conduct. What this means is that ANY FORM of LGBTQ+ representation can be attacked just for being LGBTQ+.
What's more shocking is that, in Section Two, Idaho states that any pictures, photographs, books, sound recordings, motion-picture films, and so many other things that contain even a hint of LGBTQ+ representation can not be made available to minors in both a public school and a public library setting.
If there is a public library or school that does make one of these books available and is sued by a parent of a minor they can be charged $2,500 for each offense. However, most public libraries can't afford this, so they will likely have to revoke children's library cards, allowing them to be in the public library only under adult supervision. Even if they were to remove all of the books that could possibly fit into this description, the likelihood of being fined happening is too high to risk.
This bill has passed in both the House and the Senate and is now just awaiting the governor's signature to be passed and signed into law.
First they came for the books,
Lain (they/them)
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