The next cultural front in the fight over children’s book accessibility has erupted in New Hampshire. Several Democrats in the New Hampshire House of Representatives attempted to censor Republican Glenn Cordelli from reading excerpts from novels that some would consider explicit or pornographic during a voting session, ironically, while Democrats support youngsters having access to such literature.
Cordelli was defending HB 1419, a bill that would ban “patently offensive” materials from both public school and online libraries that contain “literary, scientific, medical, artistic, or political value.” HB 1419 would also allow parents to take action to remove any such materials from libraries or schools. Cordelli attempted to read passages from books that would be banned under HB 1419, but several House members objected before he could begin.
Democratic Representative Lucy Weber voiced her opposition to Cordelli’s reading, citing a House rule that permits a member to request a vote on the matter. There was a vote on whether Cordelli could keep talking, and he won with a total of 201 to 173. Despite 16 Democrats voting to let him continue speaking, all of those who voted to silence him were Democrats.
Republican Rep. Kevin Verville brought attention to the irony of letting minors access House floor information that adults deemed too insulting to read. He thought his reading would be “quite enlightening,” Cordelli claimed.
Democrat Rep. Alissandra Murray took to social media after the vote to share her experiences as “a trans nonbinary adult.” She mentioned that one of the books that would be banned under HB 1419, “Gender Queer,” which contains detailed and graphic descriptions of youth, resonated with her.
The bill will not be revisited until next year after the New Hampshire House decided to indefinitely postpone it by a score of 187 to 162.
