Written Testimony to Missouri House Committee Endorsing HB3005 (2026)

The EveryLibrary Institute NFP supports HB3005, a new bill in Missouri focused on digital databases and other materials that strengthen due process, reinforce local control, and align school and public library policy with constitutional protections under both the Missouri Constitution and the First Amendment.

We have submitted written testimony to the Emerging Issues Committee of the Missouri State House of Representatives in support of HB 3005 (2026) because the bill represents sound public policy. It protects communities, reduces legal risk for public institutions, and preserves Missourians’ access to lawful educational resources.

Emerging Issues Committee
Missouri House of Representatives
Jefferson City, Missouri

Written Testimony in Support of HB 3005 on February 16, 2025

Dear Chair Christ, Vice-Chair Peters, and Members of the Committee:

The EveryLibrary Institute NFP, a national non-profit policy think tank focused on library funding, governance, and public access to information, is submitting written testimony in support of House Bill 3005. We appreciate Rep. Justus’s efforts in presenting a carefully considered proposal that provides Missourians with a constitutionally sound, community-focused approach to addressing concerns about library materials, particularly in the digital environment.

We urge the committee to refer HB 3005 because it strengthens procedural safeguards for schools and public libraries, reinforces the role of local governance, and ensures transparency in decisions about library digital collections. Missouri’s Constitution provides protections for freedom of speech and expression, ensuring public institutions like libraries and schools operate within clear constitutional guidelines. Removal of digital materials without a documented review process exposes public institutions to legal risk under the First Amendment and Missouri’s constitutional speech protections.

HB 3005 would mitigate that risk by requiring structured reconsideration policies that prohibit removal of digital content before review is complete, while ensuring that content decisions are made through transparent, documented procedures with professional input. We see that the bill preserves local authority and supports effective governance under clear procedural safeguards.

Students and families depend on digital databases for instructional and research needs. We endorse HB 3005 because it recognizes that concerns about a single digital item should not result in loss of access to an entire database. It limits challenges to individuals who have standing as users or parents, which minimizes the risk of fraudulent claims by outside anti-access activists, and it also limits repeat requests to prevent harassment of the institutions and abuse of the process while preserving the right to raise concerns. We see HB 3005 as a rational approach to address concerns while ensuring that corrective action is narrowly tailored. 

For these reasons, the EveryLibrary Institute NFP respectfully encourages the Committee to advance HB 3005.

Respectfully submitted,

John Chrastka, Executive Director
EveryLibrary Institute NFP