An Overview of the 2025 Texas Legislative Session

On January 14, 2025, the Texas Legislature commenced its 89th regular legislative session to set policy goals and advance bills that will impact residents statewide.

On January 14, 2025, the Texas Legislature commenced its 89th regular legislative session to set policy goals and advance bills that will impact residents statewide.

Currently, Texas leads all other states in pre-filed legislation that would ban books, with EveryLibrary tracking
14 anti-library and anti-reader bills in the state. During the last legislative session, lawmakers passed HB900 to create a vendor rating system for school library materials (this portion of the law is currently enjoined) and revise school library collection development standards. If the past legislative session is any indication of how this session will proceed, Texans can expect a lengthy session of infighting and bureaucracy that will attempt to defund libraries and politicize reading. 

The pre-filed legislation reveals that members are prioritizing vouchers that would reduce funding for public schools, criminalization bills that would punish librarians and teachers by eliminating affirmative defenses against prosecution, and legislation that targets booksellers by redefining “harmful materials” in the Texas Penal Code. 

Censorship hinders democracy by taking away essential freedoms that Texans value. As we begin this legislative session, we must come together at the state and local levels to protect the freedom to read by opposing legislation that criminalizes librarians, reduces funding for public education, and takes away local control from communities. 

Sign the Petition to Stop Book Bans in Texas: https://www.txftrp.org/petition 

Download our complete report to learn more about the 2025 Texas legislative session and the legislative bills attacking libraries.