Ben Baker responds to library bill criticism- Our tax dollars should not fund Drag Queen Story Hour

Ben Baker filed HB 2044 last week which would require public libraries to form parental oversight committees that would make irreversible decisions on what materials would be made available to children.

News of the bill spread rapidly after it was publicized Saturday in a Turner Report post and later picked up on by area media.

Much of the response has been negative.

Baker issued the following statement:



Statement on HB 2044

You can find the full bill text here: (https://www.house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx…)

Due to some misinformation that is being disseminated regarding House Bill 2044, which is the “Parental Oversight of Public Libraries Act” I want to clear this up with a public statement.

First of all, the bill is not final language. We have not even had a public hearing yet regarding the bill. We will continue to work on the language to accomplish the wishes of many parents, and to protect our children throughout the great state of Missouri.

Second to clear up any misconceptions, this bill is NOT about banning or censoring books. I am a staunch defender of our First Amendment right to the freedom of speech. But I also believe it is appropriate to protect our children from objectionable sexual material that is not age appropriate.

Also, my bill is not aimed at my local library, Newton County Public Library. Our local library is exactly what a local library should be. My family and I are frequent users of our library and we have never once had any problem with the way they operate.

HB2044 is aimed at oversight of events like the “Drag Queen Story Hours” that have been happening at libraries across our country and in several libraries in our own state. 

It is also aimed at agenda driven literary content designed to encourage excessive interest in sexual matters. Many parents are very concerned about such events and content, and in most cases have no recourse but to take their children elsewhere rather than them being exposed to sexual content that is not age appropriate for their children.

This bill simply would mandate a parental oversight board of each library made up of parents from that library district, voted on by those who attend the public election meeting. 

This would place oversight with total local control. It would also make available public meetings where parents could voice their concerns regarding content at the library. 

If the parental board deemed content (be it books, media, or events sponsored by the library) to not be age appropriate for minors, then it would be removed from access by minors (NOT removed from the library). 

For instance, instead of being in the children’s section it would be placed in the adult section. If a parent consented to their child having access, then they could check out the content and provide it to them.

We have internet filters on library computers for the same reason. We don’t want our children having access to sexual material that is not age-appropriate.

In summary, I don’t think our tax dollars should be funding “Drag Queen Story Hours” or allowing children to access age-inappropriate literary material. I believe that local control with parental oversight seems to be the best way to address this issue constitutionally. I will continue to work with parties that are involved to find a solution.