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Read. Follow. Verify.Iowa Senate File 347 Prohibits Certain Library Materials and Establishes Penalties
Last action · February 24, 2025: Introduced, referred to Judiciary. H.J. 413 .Sponsors: Sandy Salmon and 5 others
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What This Bill Would Do
Senate File 347 bans public libraries in Iowa cities and counties from purchasing or selecting materials containing descriptions or visual depictions of sex acts, and prohibits librarians from knowingly providing obscene material or hard-core pornography to minors. Parents or guardians may file complaints and bring civil actions for damages and against employing municipalities if violations continue. The bill also provides for attorney fees, civil penalties, and mandatory damages.
Changes legal liabilities for public libraries and municipalities by creating a private right of action for parents and guardians, mandating statutory damages ranging from $10,000 to $20,000, and assessing daily civil penalties against employing cities or counties for non-compliance.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
public librarians
Librarians are prohibited from selecting specific materials and from knowingly providing obscene material or hard-core pornography to minors, under threat of complaints, injunctions, and civil liability.
cities and counties
Municipalities and counties that employ library staff face mandatory civil penalties, attorney fee awards, and statutory damages ranging from $10,000 to $20,000 if found in violation.
parents and guardians
Parents and guardians gain the explicit right to file administrative complaints, initiate civil actions for damages and injunctive relief, and receive statutory payouts and attorney fees if they prevail.
Key Facts
- Prohibits librarians and public libraries in county and city library districts or city libraries from selecting or purchasing materials with descriptions or visual depictions of a sex act as defined in section 702.17.
- Bars public librarians from knowingly providing obscene material or hard-core pornography to a minor in a public library.
- Allows a parent or guardian to file a complaint with the board or city council if a violation occurs, and permits a civil action for damages and injunctive relief if the violation continues after thirty days.
- Mandates that a prevailing parent or guardian in a civil action must be awarded reasonable attorney fees by the court.
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- Requires the court to assess a civil penalty against employing counties or cities of not less than $5,000 plus an additional $500 per day during the pendency of the civil action, unless the material is removed.
- Requires the court to order municipalities to pay statutory damages of not less than $10,000 for violations involving obscene material, and not less than $20,000 for hard-core pornography.
- Permits a parent or guardian to bring a further civil action for damages if a librarian violates an injunction, including actual damages and a penalty of not less than $20,000 plus $1,000 per day of continued violation.
- Authorizes the attorney general and county attorneys to institute civil actions to enforce the provisions, establishing that receipt of a court's injunctive order and notice of continuing violations constitutes probable cause.
Frequently Asked Questions
What materials are restricted from being purchased or selected for public libraries under this bill?
What steps must a parent or guardian take before filing a civil action against a library?
What are the minimum financial penalties assessed against a municipality if a parent wins a civil action regarding hard-core pornography?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently passed chamber. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.
Procedural history
3 actions- Feb 24, 2025HouseIntroducedIntroduced, referred to Judiciary. H.J. 413 .
- Feb 20, 2025SenateSubcommittee: Driscoll, Webster, and Weiner. S.J. 328 .
- Feb 18, 2025SenateIntroducedIntroduced, referred to Local Government. S.J. 294 .
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
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Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Introduction of Private Civil Actions Against Municipalities for Library Content
The bill shifts enforcement from traditional regulatory oversight to direct private civil actions by parents and guardians against cities and counties, complete with mandatory minimum statutory damages and daily civil penalties.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.legis.iowa.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy90Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz65Current news / social attention level
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