Fight Book Bans Act

Key Points

• This bill would create a new grant program to help public schools pay for legal costs, like lawyer fees and court expenses. It is meant for schools that get sued or face formal appeals after they decide to keep a book or lesson material that someone else wanted removed.
• School districts could apply for up to $100,000 for each legal fight they face. This money is only available if the school decides to keep the material and the state or other groups haven't already paid for their legal defense.
• The goal is to protect schools from the high cost of defending their libraries and classrooms. Many small school districts might otherwise feel forced to remove books just to avoid expensive lawsuits they cannot afford.
• The Department of Education would oversee $15 million in total funding from 2027 to 2031. When deciding who gets the money, officials are required to be neutral and cannot take sides based on the content of the books or materials involved.

Impact Analysis

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