On July 1, the library bounty bill, HB710, went into effect. Since then, librarians have told me, some patrons have expressed anger. They are angry at the librarians for restricting access to their kids.
But we must be clear.
This isn’t the doing of librarians. This is the doing of our elected representatives. After two failed anti-library bills during the 2024 session, HB710 slipped in as public fatigue with an extremist legislature crept in and people stopped paying attention. Now, they’re upset because the new law impacts them and their families.
Of course, this move is an attempt to financially threaten libraries, and it’s right in line with the extremist playbook, Project 2025. On page one of the Forward, the authors of this handbook assert that school libraries have been “invaded” by porn. Of course, their definition of “porn” seems to be rather broad, encompassing the mere existence of people in LGBTQIA+ communities.
Page eight decries that public libraries are too “independent,” lacking what they consider proper oversight. Clearly there’s something nefarious going on. These extremists, while claiming to love freedom, are very clear about how they want to regulate what you can read. And by the time you get to page 847, which lambasts public library funding that contributes high-speed internet access in rural areas, you get the idea that these guys aren’t content to use their own discernment for what they choose to do. They want to limit everyone else’s choices and ability to access information—in any form.
In our state, legislators mumble about “protecting” children, but they seem more interested in making sure they only read what conforms to a narrow world view. They don’t care about feeding them, or the effects on child mental health that bills like SB1329 or HB668 will have. No, no, we need to “protect” them by making sure kids can’t read about two male penguins who get married. As long as they don’t read that book, they’ll be fine. We don’t need federal dollars to feed them.
The so-called “moderates” said this is a “compromise” to head off something worse. Governor Little wrung his hands, calling it a “stinkin’” bill, but signed it anyway. But let’s watch the upcoming session. Because some legislators are already talking about another library bill. This one more restrictive. Because it’s never enough with extremists. They must erase the existence of anything that doesn’t check their little boxes. They are the great individualists, the free-thinkers. The rest us need to fall in line and do what we’re told, though. Because that’s the real freedom. Doing what we’re commanded by these paternal figures who will “protect” us.
Anyway, if you’re angry about this library bill, make sure you’re directing that anger where it belongs: at the legislators who caved to an extremist agenda.
Here are our Bonneville County legislators that voted for HB710:
- From District 32: Cook, Horman
- From District 33: Ehardt, Erickson, Lent
- From District 35: Andrus, Harris, Wheeler
And pay attention next legislative session.
Miranda Marquit, Master of Business Administration, is a nationally recognized financial wellness expert, writer, speaker and podcaster. She is the vice chair of Bonneville County Democratic Central Committee.