The Senate Judiciary Committee heard SB 12 on material harmful to minors authored by Sen. Tomes. The bill removes schools and certain public libraries from the list of entities eligible for a specified defense to criminal prosecutions alleging: (1) the dissemination of material harmful to minors; or (2) a performance harmful to minors. The bill adds colleges and universities to the list of entities eligible for a specified defense to criminal prosecutions alleging the dissemination of material harmful to minors or a performance harmful to minors.
The bill was amended to require the governing body of a school corporation or charter school to publish a complete list of material in their library. The bill was also amended to require a local school board to have an administrative process in place to address challenges to alleged obscene materials and to remove school libraries from the list of entities eligible for a specified defense to criminal prosecutions.
Purple for Parents of Indiana, Front Porch Patriots of Marion County, various grandparents, parents, teachers, clergy, students, and an Elkhart Community Commissioner, testified in support of the original bill. The Indiana Parent Teacher Association, Indiana State Teachers Association, Indiana Library Federation, the Elkhart Public Library, Indiana Library Federation Advocacy Committee, American Federation for Teachers of Indiana, Indiana Coalition for Public Education, Indiana School Board Association, Indiana Public Defender Council, and various parents and librarians testified in opposition. The amended bill passed 7-4.
Read the bill at: https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/senate/12