Local library says ‘no way’ to book ban

Arizona officials continue debate on banning certain books from school

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA/KECY) - A book ban known as House Bill 2495 introduced by Republican lawmakers would make books of “sexually explicit material” illegal for schools to stock on the shelf.

Political leaders like Arizona District 12 Rep. Jake Hoffman not only backs the book ban but even made a case for supporting it during a House Education Committee meeting recently.

One local library says "no way" to book bans.

"It’s really a shame that educational, that any educational institution would think about banning books. These are the kinds of things that happen in countries in tyrannical type situations, in tyrannical countries, authoritarian countries. Here in the United States, we shouldn’t be banning any books," says Freedom Library Founder and Director Howard Blitz.

According to the Arizona Legislature, sexually explicit materials include text, visual, or audio materials or materials accessed via any other medium that depicts sexual conduct, sexual excitement, or ultimate sexual acts.

The bill is still up for debate.