LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders appointed members to the state library board after new legislation eliminated all the members, regardless of the term they were appointed to.
The six-member board had been at the center of controversy during the most recent legislative session. Social conservative pressure on legislators called for increased restrictions on access to certain books and materials in libraries.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signs law for her to reconstitute state library board
The library board, however, would not pass rules on this due to it being what some called “censorship.” Several bills were introduced in the legislature to fight this, including one to disband the board entirely.
Finally, Senate Bill 640, now Act 903 of 2025 after the governor’s signature, was entered into the legislative calendar on April 9, a week before the legislature’s scheduled recess, and was quickly approved. It went into effect on Aug. 5…