April 9, 2026
Ms. Pressley (for herself, Mr. Carson, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Evans of Pennsylvania, Mr. Frost, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Ms. Lee of Pennsylvania, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Ms. Norton, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Mr. Quigley, Mrs. Ramirez, Ms. Randall, Ms. Simon, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Underwood, and Ms. Velázquez) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
To require certain libraries to maintain a diverse collection of books, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Books Save Lives Act
.
Sec. 2. Access to libraries and diverse books
(a) Access to school libraries
A covered school shall maintain a library that is staffed by a trained librarian.
(b) Library book selection
Each public library receiving Federal financial assistance and each library of a covered school shall maintain a diverse collection of books, including—
(1)
books written or illustrated by an individual who is a member of an underrepresented community; and
(2)
books about an underrepresented community.
(c) Civil rights enforcement
Proof that the exclusion of books from a covered school or library receiving Federal financial assistance has had a disparate impact on covered books shall constitute prima facie evidence of discrimination against a protected class in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.), the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.), or the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1651 et seq.), as appropriate.
Sec. 3. Report on book ban campaigns
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall begin the creation of a report on the effect that recent campaigns to ban books in public libraries and public schools have had on underrepresented communities.
Sec. 4. Definitions
In this Act:
(1) Covered book
The term covered book means a book or an item of educational media written by, illustrated by, or about an individual who is a member of an underrepresented community.
(2) Covered school
The term covered school means an elementary school or secondary school that is controlled or directed by a local educational agency receiving Federal financial assistance.
(3) Elementary school, local educational agency, and secondary school
The terms elementary school, local educational agency, and secondary school have the meaning given the terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(4) Underrepresented community
The term underrepresented community means a group of individuals that share a common identity or characteristic, in cases in which discrimination based on such characteristic is prohibited by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.), the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.), or the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1651 et seq.), including a group of individuals who—
(A)
are members of a racial or ethnic minority group;
(B)
are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, or nonbinary;
(C)
are members of a religious minority group; or
(D)
have a disability.