In a speech where he announced millions of dollars in funding to combat carjacking, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias touted a bill that passed the State House earlier this month that would withhold funding for libraries in the state that ban books.
Under the legislation, House Bill 2789, Illinois libraries would only be eligible for state-funded grants if reading materials are not removed or restricted due to personal or partisan disapproval, while also issuing a statement complying with the policies of the State Library.
“This is an alarming phenomenon that’s occurring throughout the nation, including Illinois, which is designed to polarize and disrupt our communities,” Giannoulias said in a statement. “This scourge of censorship has a chilling effect on our democracy. These efforts have nothing to do with books. Instead, they are about ideas that certain individuals disagree with and believe no one should think, or be allowed to think.”
According to the American Library Association, there were 67 attempts to ban books in Illinois in 2022, an increase from 41 attempts the previous year.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
In 2021, the ALA said there were 681 attempts to ban books nationwide, involving a total of more than 1,600 books. This marked the highest number of yearly attempts since the ALA began collecting data on the measure 20 years ago.
The Illinois House of Representatives passed the bill earlier this week on a 69-39 vote, with the measure arriving in the State Senate on Thursday.
If the legislation passes the Senate and is signed into law by Gov. Pritzker, who indicated his support for the bill earlier this month, the law would take effect on Jan. 1, 2024.
