1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

I am deeply concerned about the proposed House Bill 622, which would defund public libraries across Ohio for displaying materials deemed "harmful to juveniles." Libraries serve a vital role in our communities, providing free access to knowledge, educational resources, and a safe space for learning and enrichment, especially for underprivileged families. Defunding libraries over subjective content restrictions would be a disservice to our children and a violation of free speech principles. The broad definition of "harmful to juveniles" covering nudity, sexual content, or obscenity could potentially censor age-appropriate literary works, scientific texts, or historical materials with educational value. Libraries should have the autonomy to curate their collections responsibly without government overreach. Parents already have the ability to guide their children's reading material through existing library policies and procedures. Furthermore, libraries are already facing significant funding challenges, with many cutting hours, programs, and staff due to declining state revenue. Imposing additional financial penalties would only exacerbate these issues, depriving communities of vital resources and services. I urge you to reject House Bill 622 and any attempts to defund or restrict our public libraries. Instead, we should be increasing support for these invaluable institutions that foster literacy, intellectual curiosity, and lifelong learning for all Ohioans.