* The bill is here. It was an initiative of Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, but the governor has been a strong supporter. Memo to reporters from the governor’s press office…

We’re writing today because you have expressed interest in when the Governor will sign HB2789. The day has come, Gov. Pritzker will sign the bill Monday afternoon in Chicago.

Across the nation, extremists are targeting literature, libraries, and books in a despicable effort to censor the material students need to thrive in the classroom. Governor Pritzker’s goal is to preserve Illinois libraries as bastions of knowledge, creativity, and truth. In Illinois, we embrace facts, and we trust librarians to continue maintaining a standard for what books students have access to at school. During his State of the State speech in February, Governor Pritzker outlined his vision for fighting back against these extremists and since then has taken a number of actions to protect the availability of books in schools.

HB2789 tasks the Illinois State Librarian and the Illinois State Library to work to adopt the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, statewide. This Bill of rights indicates that reading materials should not be proscribed, removed, or restricted because of partisan or personal disproval. Alternatively, the state librarian and State Library can work together to develop their own written statement declaring that every library or library system must provide an adequate collection of books and other materials to satisfy the people in Illinois.

Illinois libraries would only be eligible for state funded grants if they adopt the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights indicating reading materials should not be proscribed, removed, or restricted because of partisan or personal disapproval.

In addition to signing this legislation, Governor Pritzker has taken action over the past several months to continue fighting censorship in the classroom. In January, the Governor sent a letter to the CEO of the College Board, demanding they reverse the decision to remove crucial parts of curriculum from the Advanced Placement course in African American Studies after being criticized by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

This past week, Governor Pritzker joined a number of other governors to urge textbook publishers the Association of American Publishers, Cengage Learning, Goodheart-Willcox, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, McGraw Hill Education, Pearson, Routledge Taylor and Francis Group, Savvas Learning Co., Scholastic, and Teachers Curriculum Institute urging them to not censor educational materials in the face of additional pressure from Republicans.

Governor Pritzker also included $1.6 million in the FY 24 state budget to launch Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library statewide.

The new law will take effect January 1, 2024.

Attached you will find:

• A letter to textbook publishers (Association of American Publishers, Cengage Learning, Goodheart-Willcox, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, McGraw Hill Education, Pearson, Routledge Taylor and Francis Group, Savvas Learning Co., Scholastic, Teachers Curriculum Institute) urging them to not censor educational materials in the face of additional pressure from Republicans.
• A letter to Dr. David Coleman, CEO of The College Board in response to their decision to remove crucial parts of curriculum from the Advanced Placement course in African American Studies following pressure from Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Background:

• The Governor highlighted protecting education during his State of the State speech: “This afternoon I’ve laid out a budget agenda that does everything possible to invest in the education of our children. Yet, it’s all meaningless if we become a nation that bans books from school libraries about racism suffered by Roberto Clemente and Hank Aaron, and tells kids they can’t talk about being gay, and signals to Black and Brown people and Asian Americans and Jews and Muslims that our authentic stories can’t be told. I’m the father of two children. I care a great deal about their education. Like every good parent, I want to be involved in what they learn. I’m also a proud American. Our nation has a great history, and much to be proud of. I want my children to learn that history. But I don’t want them to be lied to. I want them to learn our true history, warts and all. Illinois’ young people shouldn’t be kept from learning about the realities of our world. I want them to become critical thinkers, exposed to ideas that they disagree with, proud of what our nation has overcome, and thoughtful about what comes next. Here in Illinois, we don’t hide from the truth, we embrace it. That’s what makes us strong.”

• Gov. Pritzker included $1.6 million in the FY 24 state budget to launch Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library statewide. Additional details will be announced Tuesday, 6/13/23.