February 4, 2026
The bill, which applies to public libraries and school libraries, would shift responsibility from institutions to individual librarians.
Georgia librarians and school media specialists could face criminal charges under legislation moving through the Georgia General Assembly.
Senate Bill 74 would remove long-standing legal protections for library workers, placing them at risk of prosecution and amend state law governing material deemed harmful to minors.
SB 74 is sponsored by 17 Georgia assembly members who wish to overturn Georgia’s current laws that protect librarians and other public library employees from criminal liability.
The bill does offer a safe haven, if you’d like to call it that. As long as librarians are working in their professional capacity and make a good faith effort to remove “harmful materials” from minors, they are safe. The language is vague and dangerous, as there is no way to prove a librarian knowingly allowed minors access to “harmful materials.”
According to SB 74, “violation of such the [legislature amendment] shall be a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature when committed knowingly.”
The bill applies to public libraries and school libraries and would shift responsibility from institutions to individual librarians and school media specialists. The legislation does not require proof of harm, only that the “harmful materials” were made available to minors and met the statutory definition in the standing state law.
The definition of material considered harmful to minors is already codified in state statute. The bill does not change that definition but alters who can be held legally responsible for violations.
The bill was discussed during a legislative committee hearing, where lawmakers questioned how librarians would be expected to evaluate materials and whether criminal penalties were appropriate for collection decisions made in educational settings.
Librarians who testified or spoke with lawmakers expressed concern about the legal exposure created by the bill and said it could affect how libraries manage collections.
State Bill 74 has not received final approval and remains under consideration in the General Assembly. The bill must advance through additional committee review and votes before reaching the governor’s desk.
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