{"id":1153,"date":"2023-08-29T14:41:26","date_gmt":"2023-08-29T14:41:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.risd.org\/libraryit\/?page_id=1153"},"modified":"2026-01-06T18:20:03","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T18:20:03","slug":"texas-hb-900","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/web.risd.org\/libraryit\/texas-hb-900\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas HB 900"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Texas HB 900<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe information below provides a general overview of the new legislation. The full content of the legislation may be found here<\/a><\/strong>. Texas HB 900 was signed by \u00a0Governor Abbott on June 13, 2023, to take effect September 1, 2023. The legislation regulates library materials sold to or included in public school libraries, classroom libraries and online catalogs. The new legislation defines what sexually explicit and sexually relevant material is, and requires library material vendors (any entity that sells library materials to a public school in Texas) to assign sexually explicit and sexually relevant ratings to any material the vendor determines meet the law\u2019s definitions.\n

\nInitially, vendors must issue ratings using the standards adopted by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by April 1, 2024. Vendor ratings must be updated by September 1, 2024 and each year thereafter. Vendors must issue appropriate ratings for library materials that are sexually explicit and sexually relevant. This obligation includes rating previously sold library materials. Materials rated sexually explicit may not be sold to Texas school districts and previously sold sexually explicit material that is in active use must be recalled.\n

\nOnce vendors have issued ratings, the ratings must be submitted to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for further review. TEA will signify agreement or disagreement with the vendor\u2019s ratings. If TEA disagrees with the vendor\u2019s ratings, notice will be provided to the vendor and an update shall be expected from the vendor. TEA is responsible for publishing and maintaining in a conspicuous place on TEA\u2019s internet website a list of library material vendors who failed to comply. School districts will not be allowed to purchase material from these vendors. TEA is also responsible for posting the list of ratings submitted by vendors in a conspicuous place on TEA\u2019s internet website as soon as practicable.\n

\nOnce the list is published on TEA\u2019s website, school districts will have until January 1, 2025 to review the content of each book in its catalog that is rated as sexually relevant material and determine whether to retain each book. By January 1, 2025, the district is required to maintain a list on the district\u2019s website a report of the title of each sexually relevant material, the district\u2019s decision regarding the material and at which campus the material is located.\n

\nMaterials rated sexually relevant will require parental consent for a student to check-out the material.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Texas HB 900 Information: <\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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