WASHINGTON — Democratic majorities in Minnesota delivered another stunning victory this week by passing legislation to stop books from being removed from the shelves of school libraries. Democrats unanimously voted for the bill, which now heads to Democratic Gov. Tim Walz’s desk to become law. This censorship ban comes as a direct response to a growing trend of Republican legislators trying to control and undermine classroom learning on topics like gender, race, sexuality, and gender identity.
Republican-backed book bans impacted over 1,500 book titles in the 2022-23 school year across more than 30 states. As if that isn’t extreme enough, at least 100 bills are being considered across 27 states this year to further censor school library books and even criminalize librarians. Democratic legislatures are on the frontlines of combating these toxic culture wars – Democrats in Washington, Maryland, and Illinois have passed bills prohibiting book bans, and Minnesota will soon join the ranks.
The Democratic trifecta in Minnesota has been a shining example of what Democrats do in leadership, and defending the trifecta is a top priority for the DLCC this year. DFLers have passed legislation to fund free breakfast and lunch for K-12 students, increase funding for mental health services, establish paid family leave, and enshrine protections for abortion into state law. The Minnesota House is a key chamber on our target map in 2024, and the DLCC is taking nothing for granted as we fight to defend the Democratic majority and build on our historic progress.
Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee National Press Secretary Sam Paisley issued the following statement:
“Republican book bans are toxic and unpopular. School libraries should be home to learning and exploration, not a battleground for censorship and bigotry. Minnesota Democrats took essential action this week to keep culture wars out of the classroom by becoming one of the first states in the country to ban book bans. Minnesota Democrats have made clear they stand on the side of learning and education, not chilling authoritarianism. This is just the latest in a long line of accomplishments achieved by the Democratic trifecta and the latest proof point of the stakes of defending legislative control in 2024. The DLCC is committed to defending the majority in the Minnesota House and ensuring the progress made in our communities continues.”
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) is the official Democratic Party committee dedicated to winning America’s state legislatures and building state infrastructure. Over the last decade, we have fought cycle-over-cycle to gain a dozen new legislative chamber majorities and we are leading the effort to bring national attention and investment to our ballot level. State legislatures are the building blocks of our democracy and have the closest connections to Americans’ day-to-day lives. From protecting fundamental freedoms and voting rights to growing the middle class, the DLCC and state legislators are moving the Democratic agenda forward and shaping the future of this country.
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