A 7777: Enacts the "freedom to read act"; requires the commissioner of education and school library systems to develop policies to ensure that school libraries and library staff are empowered to curate and develop collections that provide students with access to the widest array of developmentally appropriate materials available.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 7777 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY April 10, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. SIMONE, OTIS, LEVENBERG, LAVINE, McMAHON, CLARK, SLATER, MORINELLO, SHRESTHA, STIRPE, BURDICK, MEEKS, SHIMSKY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to enacting the "freedom to read act" The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as 2 the "freedom to read act". 3 § 2. Section 276 of the education law is amended to read as follows: 4 § 276. Existing rules continued in force. All existing provisions of 5 law and rules established by the commissioner of education for the 6 management of public school libraries shall hold good as to the manage- 7 ment of such school libraries until altered by or in pursuance of law. 8 Such laws and rules established by the commissioner shall include poli- 9 cies to ensure that school libraries and library staff, including but 10 not limited to certified library media specialists, are empowered to 11 curate and develop collections that provide students with access to the 12 widest array of developmentally appropriate materials available to 13 school districts. 14 § 3. Section 283 of the education law, as added by chapter 348 of the 15 laws of 1984, is amended to read as follows: 16 § 283. Functions of school library systems. The functions of school 17 library systems shall include but not be limited to: (a) creating and 18 developing a union catalog of materials listing the resources of each 19 participating school library; (b) developing a plan which will aid each 20 participating school library in cooperative collection development; (c) 21 adopting and implementing an interlibrary loan policy and program among 22 participating school libraries; (d) assuring a method of effective 23 delivery of library materials within the system; (e) promoting develop- 24 ment programs and continuing education for staff of participating EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD03534-01-5 
 A. 7777 2 1 schools; (f) encouraging awareness of the resources and services avail- 2 able in participating school libraries; [and] (g) cooperating with other 3 library systems in resource sharing and other activities[.]; and (h) 4 ensuring that school libraries and library staff, including but not 5 limited to certified library media specialists, are empowered to curate 6 and develop collections that provide students with access to the widest 7 array of developmentally appropriate materials available to participat- 8 ing schools. 9 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.