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Gov. Phil Murphy signs law prohibiting book bans, making New Jersey the latest state to do so

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, signed a bill into law on Monday to prohibit public libraries and school libraries from banning books in the state.

This makes New Jersey the latest state to enact a law prohibiting book bans, joining other Democrat-led states, including Illinois and Minnesota.

Murphy signed the bill at Princeton's public library, located near Princeton University. The legislation comes in response to Republican-leaning states that have looked to remove books in recent years from school curriculum and school libraries that they deem inappropriate for young children, such as books containing sexually explicit material or that center on LGBTQ+ or Critical Race Theory.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy at the Princeton Public Library on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, signs legislation aimed at barring public libraries and schools from banning books. (AP)

"It's the antithesis of all these book banning states that you see," the governor said. "I'm incredibly proud to have signed it, but also acknowledge that America — and this is yet another good example — is becoming a patchwork quilt country. It really matters where you live."

The bill allows books to be restricted in the case of "developmentally inappropriate material" for certain age groups. The law also requires local school boards and the governing bodies of public libraries to establish policies for book curation and the removal of library materials, including a way to address concerns over certain titles.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy speaks at Princeton Public Library before signing legislation aimed at prohibiting school and public libraries from banning books in the state on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. (AP)

Conservative parents and activists argue that the books are too sexually explicit or otherwise inappropriate, particularly for younger children. National groups such as Moms for Liberty have said parents should have more of a say over which books ought to be available to their children.

Librarians praised the enactment of New Jersey's law, with Karen Grant, president of the New Jersey Association of School Librarians, saying the bill recognizes librarians' professionalism and promotes libraries as a source of information.

"The bill will protect the intellectual freedom of students as well as acknowledge that school libraries are centers for voluntary inquiry, fostering students’ growth and development," Grant said.

Retired librarian Martha Hickson spoke on Monday alongside the governor about how parents first suggested her book collections contained pedophilia and pornography during a school board meeting in 2021. She watched the livestream in shock as they objected to the availability of the novel "Lawn Boy" by Jonathan Evison, which contains graphic descriptions of sex between men and children, and the illustrated memoir "Gender Queer: A Memoir" by Maia Kobabe.

Retired librarian Martha Hickson speaks at Princeton Public Library on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, where Gov. Phil Murphy was set to sign a bill aimed at prohibiting bans on books in schools and public libraries. (AP)

Hickson, who said parents suggested she should be criminally liable for the availability of the books, said Monday that it was time to celebrate after three years of harassment.

"I'm thrilled," she said. "After more than three years of harassment, this legislation is a relief to readers and librarians."

The law is set to take effect in a year, although the state education commissioner and state librarian may begin taking steps to implement the law.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.