New York A 7353: Protects the independence of libraries and shields librarians from civil and criminal liability for certain actions

Bill Text

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 Speaker Carl E. Heastie

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A07353 Summary:

BILL NOA07353B

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS S10554-A

&nbsp

SPONSORCarroll R

&nbsp

COSPNSRRosenthal, Magnarelli, Otis, Hooks

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Add §286, Ed L

&nbsp

Protects the independence of libraries; shields librarians from civil and criminal liability for certain actions.

Go to top A07353 Actions:

BILL NOA07353B

&nbsp

03/25/2025referred to libraries and education technology

01/07/2026referred to libraries and education technology

03/17/2026amend and recommit to libraries and education technology

03/17/2026print number 7353a

05/14/2026amend and recommit to libraries and education technology

05/14/2026print number 7353b

05/18/2026reported referred to codes

06/02/2026reference changed to ways and means

06/04/2026reported referred to rules

06/04/2026reported 

06/04/2026rules report cal.486

06/04/2026ordered to third reading rules cal.486

Go to topA07353 Committee&nbspVotes:

Committee:LIBRARIES AND EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY Chair:Carroll R 
DATE:05/18/2026AYE/NAY:6/2 Action: Favorable refer to committee Codes CarrollAyeChludzinskiNay

SolagesAyeBaileyNay

McMahonAye

LunsfordAye

LevenbergAye

WrightExcused

HooksAye

Committee:RULES Chair:Glick 
DATE:06/04/2026AYE/NAY:21/7 Action: Favorable HeastieExcusedRaNay

PretlowAyeHawleyNay

CookExcusedBlankenbushNay

GlickAyeBrabenecExcused

DinowitzAyePalmesanoNay

ColtonAyeReillyNay

MagnarelliAyeSmithNay

PaulinAyeJensenAye

Peoples-StokesAyeGandolfoNay

BenedettoAye

LavineAye

LupardoAye

BraunsteinAye

DavilaAye

HyndmanAye

RozicAye

BronsonAye

HevesiAye

HunterAye

TaylorAye

CruzAye

VanelAye

Committee:WAYS AND MEANS Chair:Pretlow 
DATE:06/04/2026AYE/NAY:23/9 Action: Favorable refer to committee Rules PretlowAyePalmesanoNay

GlickAyeFitzpatrickNay

ColtonAyeHawleyNay

CookExcusedBlankenbushNay

BenedettoAyeWalshNay

WeprinAyeDeStefanoNay

RamosAyeManktelowNay

BraunsteinAyeSmullenNay

McDonaldAyeGiglioNay

RozicAyeSlaterAye

DinowitzAye

MagnarelliAye

BronsonAye

DilanAbsent

SeawrightAye

HyndmanAye

WalkerAbsent

Bichotte HermelAye

SimonAye

CruzAye

OtisAye

SolagesAye

HunterAye

SeptimoAye

HevesiAye

Go to topA07353 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topA07353 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 7353--B

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN ASSEMBLY

 March 25, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by M. of A. R. CARROLL, ROSENTHAL, MAGNARELLI -- read once
 and referred to the Committee on Libraries and Education Technology --
 recommitted to the Committee on Libraries in accordance with Assembly
 Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
 reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- again
 reported from said committee with amendments, ordered reprinted as
 amended and recommitted to said committee

 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to protecting the inde-
 pendence of libraries and shielding librarians from civil and criminal
 liability for certain actions

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "protecting
 2 libraries' independence act".
 3 § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 286 to read
 4 as follows:
 5 § 286. Protecting libraries' independence. 1. For the purposes of this
 6 section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
 7 (a) "Library material" means books, videos, subscription or locally
 8 curated databases, newspapers, magazines and other such periodicals,
 9 charts, graphs, movies, games, maps, interactive applications and soft-
 10 ware, and other such enrichment or entertainment materials in any print-
 11 ed or electronic format, inclusive of fiction and non-fiction belonging
 12 to, on loan to, or otherwise in the custody of the public library.
 13 (b) "Librarian" means an employee of a public library or someone work-
 14 ing on a public library's behalf through a consulting agreement who is
 15 responsible for the purchase, selection, curation, removal, and display
 16 of library materials.
 17 (c) "Public library" means every free association, public and hospital
 18 library or, with the advice of the appropriate tribal government and