N.J. Senate passes Freedom to Read Act

By Jenna Rittman for the NJ State House News Service

The New Jersey Senate on Monday passed the Freedom to Read bill sponsored by Sen. Andrew Zwicker (D-Mercer, Hunterdon, Somerset, Middlesex) that limits book bans in public schools and libraries and protects librarians from lawsuits and criminal charges.

The bill, which directs libraries to offer a wide variety of books and not to exclude material simply because it is controversial or may offend someone, gives librarians immunity from civil or criminal liability for doing their jobs in good faith. The bill is now on the governor’s desk for his signature. 

“You and all New Jerseyans have the freedom to choose what you want to read, and parents have and will continue to have the freedom to choose what their children will read. But no one gets to decide that for you — not now, and not ever,” Zwicker said.

Zwicker brought school librarian Martha Hickson to the Senate floor for the debate on the bill, saying she had been threatened and harassed for taking a stand against potential censorship.

Sen. Jon Bramnick (R-Middlesex, Morris, Somerset, Union), a co-sponsor of the bill, said the legislation includes new standards on age-appropriate material.

 “Right now, in the wild, wild West, no board of education is setting the standard, and now we are saying ‘It is time,’” Bramnick said before the vote.

Around the country, conservative activists increasingly are seeking to ban printed material that they deem obscene, profane or inappropriate for young readers. Librarians, educators, and others are backing laws to restrict such efforts.

The Senate advanced the bill by a vote of 24-15, with heavy opposition from Republicans. GOP lawmakers said they feared the law would allow children to access obscene materials and protect librarians who share obscene books with children.

Sen. Michael Testa (R-Vineland), one of the opponents of the bill, said there is obscene material available in New Jersey schools and the bill would provide librarians with immunity from New Jersey’s obscenity law or “any other law intended to protect our children.” 

“I don’t want adults promoting explicit stuff to children,” Testa said during floor debate. “How exactly does a person distribute obscene materials to a child in good faith? I also think it’s incredibly telling that if some of these very same sexually explicit materials were shown to a child by a neighbor, that individual would be charged with a Megan’s Law offense, and rightfully so.”

Guy Citron, a bill supporter who attended the voting session and is seeking an Assembly seat for the 23rd District in 2025 as a Democrat, said in an interview that extremists have been lying about the content of books, calling them pornographic when they are not.

“These books are educational and they’re meant for people to learn about all kinds of things related to sex and identity,” Citron said.

Under the bill, school boards would collaborate with librarians when selecting, purchasing, or acquiring books in libraries.

The NJ State House News Service is a collaborative effort of professional and student journalists from NJ colleges and universities in partnership with local media.