Texas Lt. Governor Patrick's Harmful Legislative Priorities
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick announced 25 of his top priorities for the current legislative session. At least four out of the 25 bills will directly impact the freedom to read in Texas.
Yesterday, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick announced 25 of his top priorities for the current legislative session. At least four out of the 25 bills will directly impact the freedom to read in Texas.
Defunding Public Education
The 2nd highest priority bill, SB2, deals with “school choice,” also known as school vouchers. Legislators in previous sessions have introduced similar bills that sought to indirectly defund public education by providing funds to charter and private schools. Lt. Governor Patrick has been vocal about his support for private education over public schools in the past. However, these bills have been previously unsuccessful because some Republicans were hesitant to remove funding for public schools in rural areas, which are highly dependent on government funds to ensure adequate teaching and learning. Based on these past failed bills, we can assume that SB2 will attack support and funding for public schools across the state.
Parental Bill of Rights
In theory, a parental bill of rights sounds like a good idea. In reality, it is a means to enact more censorship by allowing a small group of extremist parents to determine what books every child can or cannot access. SB12 would establish a parental bill of rights in public education, likely making it easier for book-banners who want to limit access to diverse viewpoints and marginalized voices. While parents play an essential role in their child’s education, they cannot and should not have the authority to extend that role to other students. It is also important to balance parental rights with the importance of students’ First Amendment rights.
Governmental Oversight for Public School Books
SB13 will likely be an attempt to ban more books in public schools. Many books that have been challenged and banned across the state feature BIPOC and LGBTQ+ characters and themes that some lawmakers claim are “inappropriate” because they disagree with the content contained in these books. Bills like SB13 are not only a method of censorship but also discriminatory in practice because they violate Title VI and Title IX of civil rights laws. When the state government determines what books can or cannot be in public schools, it takes away local control from students, parents, and taxpayers.
Attacks on LGBTQ+ Students and Books
Similar to SB13, SB18 could restrict the voices of marginalized community members, especially members of the LGBTQ+ community, by preventing Drag Queen Story Hours. However, it applies to public libraries rather than school libraries. Bills like SB18 falsely sexualize Drag Story Hours and designate them as inappropriate for children and teens to drum up fear and outrage among Texas parents. Opponents of Drag Queen Story Hours also wrongly imply that they occur in elementary school libraries rather than in public spaces for parents, children, and teens who can choose to attend these programs. Bills like SB18 violate Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 because they discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
These bills are just a few of the many bills that attack libraries and the freedom to read in Texas.
Download our complete report to learn more about the 2025 Texas legislative session and the legislative bills attacking libraries.
Sign the Petition to Stop Book Bans in Texas: https://www.txftrp.org/petition