Senate approves bill to organize books into age-appropriate categories

OKLAHOMA CITY – The full Senate has approved a bill to require school and public libraries to place books into sections labeled elementary, junior high, Under 16 or juniors and seniors.  Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, is the author of Senate Bill 397, which was approved by the Senate on Tuesday.

“There is a time and place for conversations about certain subjects, but some of those topics are not suitable for students to be reading about in school,” Hamilton said. “This bill will further efforts to protect children in Oklahoma by only allowing them to access books from libraries that are appropriate for their age.”

Hamilton added that many parents across the state are concerned with the materials their child may be able to access.

“Parents know what is best for their child,” Hamilton said. “This measure would ease their worries about what they may be able to get their hands on at school or at a local library. If they feel their student is at the level to read certain books, then they can provide them and offer guidance to their child, but taxpayer dollars should not be used to purchase or provide obscene and offensive material to students who are not old enough to be exposed to those explicit or inappropriate subjects.”

SB 397 can be heard next in the House of Representatives, where Rep. Sherrie Conley, R-Newcastle, is the principal House author.

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For more information, contact:
Sen. Warren Hamilton at 405-521-5604, or email Warren.Hamilton@oksenate.gov.