The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.West Virginia creates library book review committee and establishes criminal penalties for placement violations
Last action · February 17, 2026: To Government OrganizationSponsor: Tom Willis
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What This Bill Proposed
West Virginia creates the Governor's Safe Library Books for Kids Committee within the Department of Tourism to review and assign age-appropriateness ratings to all books in public library children's and teen sections. Unrated adult books are prohibited from being placed in those sections, and violations carry a minimum fine of $500 per occurrence.
Public libraries face new mandates to review and relocate their collections, and library staff or administrators risk criminal misdemeanor charges and fines starting at $500 for placing unrated adult books in children's or teen sections.
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Public libraries
Libraries must review their collections, implement the committee's age ratings, relocate books accordingly, and ensure unrated adult books are excluded from children's and teen sections under threat of criminal penalties.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who serves on the Safe Library Books for Kids Committee?
What happens to adult-level books under this bill?
What are the penalties for violating library book placement rules?
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in Senate committee.
Procedural history
4 actions- Feb 17, 2026SenateCommitteeTo Government Organization
- Feb 17, 2026SenateIntroducedIntroduced in Senate
- Feb 17, 2026SenateCommitteeTo Government Organization
- Feb 17, 2026SenateIntroducedFiled for introduction
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
Connected Entities
Sources
www.wvlegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 65)
- Controversy85Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz60Current news / social attention level
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