Meeting Public Comments

Subcommittee meeting and times are as follows:

A bill for an act relating to public library requirements for materials harmful to minors, and providing civil and criminal penalties, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

Subcommittee members: Thomson, C.-CH, Fett, Srinivas

Date: Thursday, February 12, 2026

Time: 7:30 AM - 8:00 AM

Location: RM 19

Names and comments are public records. Remaining information is considered a confidential record.

Comments Submitted:

02-11-2026

Mary Welbes

Please vote no! This bill is a true example of government over reach. I thought Iowa was boasting parent control but this bill is the opposite. Why is the legislator trying to destroy Iowas libraries. Shameful overreach and not what Iowans want!

02-11-2026

Erin Horst

This bill would essentially end public libraries in Iowa, especially in rural communities. Parents can and should be trusted to help their kids make decisions about what to read. If a parent doesnt think their child is ready for a certain book, they should be able to discuss that. This all feels pointless while most kids have unfettered access to the internet. Youre fighting the wrong battle, the obsession with public libraries being the enemy has gotten beyond weird.

02-11-2026

Jillian Aschliman

Scheduling this meeting at 7:30am and immediately putting this bill on your standing committee at 10am? We see you and what you're doing. Vote NO on HF 2309. This bill is a SIGNIFICANT government overreach addressing an imaginary problem that does not exist, and the cost required for technologies required to manage the regulations and restrictions imposed by this bill would be cost prohibitive for the majority of libraries across the state. Books that are marketed for an adult audience are already cataloged and placed in sections of the library designated for adults, and if a parent is concerned about the books or media their child is accessing in the library or anywhere else, it is up to *them* to monitor what their children is reading/watching/listening to. Stop villianizing libraries and librarians.

02-11-2026

Charity Tyler

Vote NO! This bill will end Iowa public libraries and will actively harm Iowa communities served by public libraries every day. This is harmful to parental rights. This will create an environment where frivolous lawsuits consume public dollars and an overworked judicial system. This is bad legislation and your constituents DO NOT WANT THIS!

02-11-2026

Laura Thompson

Vote NO on HF 2309.This legislation represents an unnecessary and excessive expansion of state control, imposing regulatory burdens that function as censorship rather than constructive policy. The proposed requirements are not only legally questionablethey are operationally impractical for the public institutions expected to implement them.Public libraries are foundational to informed communities. They provide access to ideas, education, research, and civic engagement for Iowans of all ages. Undermining their mission through overregulation does not protect the public; it restricts it.Iowa deserves policies that strengthen access to knowledgenot measures that limit it.

02-11-2026

Brittiny Wills

Vote NO on this bill HF2309. Not only have you given the public such a short amount of time to research and respond to this subcommittee hearing(I am just finding out about it), but it should also be made apparent that this will force the Decorah Library to enclose the historic side of the building (from what Im told was estimated in 2023 to cost $100,760) and hire more staff to ensure that these areas were being protected. In a small town, such as Decorah, this would be detrimental to taxpayers. Im also wondering what adult content these kids have access to that they dont already have on their phones? I think this is an overreach at best, and there are more serious implications to come from this bill that are not being taken into consideration.

02-11-2026

Lillian Grouws

I encourage everyone on this panel to vote NO on this bill. There is no simple way to implement this measure without shifting substantial cost burdens onto the public and reducing libraries' ability to operate immensely. Moreover, enforcement of this bill would be incredibly difficult, opening up Iowa libraries to endless lawsuits. Please, stop this overreach. Leave parenting to parents and libraries to librarians.

02-11-2026

Anne Mangano

Please do not advance this bill. I urge committee members to visit a public library or at least think back about their experiences in one. Does this bill address actual, real concerns? No. As a child, the books in the library opened worlds and sparked curiosityI learned so much about myself and others by reading. That is the public library's missionto engage people with a world of ideas. I am puzzled by the wrongful rhetoric that the public library is a den of obscene materials purposely placed to harm youth. Public libraries do not have obscene materials; every book would pass the Miller test. I'm not sure how this idea came about and why it persists. People are entitled to their opinions, but it is wrong and unjust for this type of legislation to be proposed and codified in law. As legislators, you have a responsibility to pass laws that meet the needs of all Iowans. Let Iowans read freely.

02-11-2026

Megan Klein-Hewett

Vote no. This is overreach that proposes to solve a problem that does not exist. Library materials are already purchased, labeled, and placed in areas intended for children. This bill would create unreasonable expectations that many libraries could not meet, while also restricting reasonable access to library users of all ages.

02-11-2026

Karla McMurrin

PLEASE, please, please do NOT support HF2309. It has the potential to have multiple domino effects to relationships between public libraries and local schools. Every student has the right to read their choice of literature.Thank youKarla McMurrin

02-11-2026

JeNel Barth

Vote NO on this bill. Criminalizing checking out a book to a child is an overreach of dramatic proportions. Librarians and the staff at public libraries are not responsible for parenting anyone but their own children. The technology necessary for tracking such a demand would be detrimental to budgets and the threat to their job security and personal safety would decimate this fine profession. The access that children have through smart phones, tablets, etc far outweighs the possibility of being in any way traumatized by a book. Parents have the right and responsibility to guide, supervise and teach their children. Let them.

02-11-2026

Jeffrey Getchell

This legislation is horribly written and will, in its current form, require local libraries to 1) defund current library programs that support adult and child library patrons, or 2) require entire sections of the library to be closed to citizenry because of the lack of support personnel to adequately monitor the foot traffic for the affected areas. The bill is very similar to a book ban but in the form of a policing of library patrons. Libraries and their support personnel are there to advise, teach, and support local patrons. They are a repository of knowledge that should never be limited based on age, gender, ethnicity, or other. Please DO NOT let this legislation advance. Thank you.

02-11-2026

Sara Parris

This is the dumbest bill I've ever read. Clearly Thomson has never set foot in a public library. Do you love your library? Do you want it to close? Because that's what will happenour rural libraries will close. VOTE NO.

02-11-2026

Lisa Riesenberg

Please vote No. This bill would criminalize those who encourage a love of reading and knowledge. This bill would create an unnecessary expense and a huge burden to small rural libraries. Let libraries support everyone.

02-11-2026

Lisa Riesenberg

02-11-2026

Rebekah Hosford Hosford

Vote NO on HF2309. Im so tired of the attacks on libraries. The library is a welcoming place for alla place of learning and community. The books in libraries have literary, scientific, or artistic merit. Librarians, many of whom have Masters Degrees, select materials for the library based off of professional reviews, and the books are placed in the library based off of the publishers and reviewers recommended ages. It is then up to the parent to monitor what their child is reading. I cant even fathom the logistical nightmare this legislation could bring to libraries. It could ruin small libraries that only have one room. And adding criminal liability?! Ridiculous. Let parents parent, and stop casting shade on libraries.

02-11-2026

Elizabeth Hoover de Galvez

HF 2309 would make it untenable for my small library to serve children (without completely getting rid of all books for adults). It would bury our small staff in mountains of paperwork and regulations and force us to be unwelcoming to anyone who appears to be under 18. Rather than asking visitors "how can I help", we'd be forced to ask visitors to prove their age, their relationships, and sign waivers for access.

02-11-2026

Kayleigh Septer

Vote NO on HF 2309. Every year we fight for libraries, and this year is no different. HF 2309 would be extremely detrimental to libraries, and is a gross governmental overreach. Iowa was once lauded for our educational achievements, and now youre trying to keep books out the hands of children and arrest the librarians who are doing their jobs by providing access to those materials? Disgraceful. Leave PUBLIC libraries alone, let the librarians do their jobs, and work on what actually needs to be fixed.

02-11-2026

Jennifer McMillan

No Iowan would disagree that we want to keep children safe. Criminalizing librarians, library staff, volunteers, etc is not the appropriate answer. Librarians are highly trained and skilled professionals who are competent at their job. This bill will cripple many libraries.

02-11-2026

Stacy Volmer

I strongly oppose HF 2309. This bill is extreme government overreach that will chill free speech and intimidate public libraries into censorship.It forces libraries to label and segregate materials under vague standards, create parental consent registries, and police minors access to books, all under threat of lawsuits, personal liability, and even criminal charges. Librarians could face prosecution simply for doing their jobs.Parents already have the right to guide their own childrens reading. This bill instead invites costly litigation, strips immunity protections, and pressures libraries to remove valuable literary and educational works out of fear.HF 2309 does not protect children, it punishes libraries and restricts access to information. Vote no.

02-11-2026

Charles Langton

This bill is a transparent attempt to promote a particular religious agenda and ethics in a country where freedom of religion and access to information is supposedly constitutionally guaranteed. No one will actually be protected except those who wish to exert control over the general population. It would destroy the functioning of our library system and dumb down our citizens. I abhor the very attempt. You are turning back the quality of life in our state, perhaps irreparably.

02-11-2026

Kim Kietzman

This bill puts the government in the position of a parent, something I don't want. It's impractical at best, unworkable as written. How will a library be able to go through thousands of items, evaluate each one, change the database, and monitor who is in the building to check for age/ID? Who is going to fund potentially radical changes to buildings to facilitate this? Did anyone confer with librarians to make sure their software can restrict by age, or how long it would take to work through the collection? The likeliest outcome, to avoid missing an item and being sued, is to just restrict minors from the library without a parent or legal guardian. As a grandma, I don't want to lose library time. I want them to find joy in books, not be barred from borrowing. I have no interest in telling others how to parent their children, I don't understand the desire to make it so difficult for me to parent mine.

02-11-2026

David Grouws

I am at the local library often and kids rarely seem interested in books in the adult section. This bill seems like a costly, hysterical overreaction. Kids looking for thrilling sexual content would probably turn to their phones, home computers or TV before reaching for a 300 page novel at the library. I value our local library and this bill seems to be trying to bankrupt them. Please dont support this bill.

02-11-2026

Lydia Revier

DO NOT ADVANCE THIS BILL. This bill creates an undue burden on libraries, without providing those libraries with more resources to meet these requirements. This is an obvious ploy to strip communities of their greatest resource. If you really want to go on a crusade about protecting children, you would put this energy into community programs. Stop wasting your time on an imaginary culture war.

02-11-2026

Angela Aarhus

I oppose this bill. I am a lifelong user of public libraries. I grew up poor in Dubuque and the library was somewhere I loved exploring and it didnt cost a thing. Every city I have lived in since, one of the first things I do is get a public library card and explore that towns library. Libraries create community and lifelong learning. I dont understand painting libraries and librarians as ominous and villainous. This bill not only burdens library employees, but also opens them up to personal liability. Frivolous lawsuits will destroy libraries. If you are interested in protecting children from bad people, I suggest you stop regulating libraries and start regulating internet access, AI, etc.

02-11-2026

Anita Christensen

I oppose HF2309. I hold community libraries in high esteem. They are often the hubs of their communities. This bill may decimate small community libraries, especially those in rural areas where they dont have the funding to implement what this bill entails. Vote for local control. Vote NO and protect our public libraries.

02-11-2026

Court Brink

Vote NO to bill HF2309. This bill is an overreach of the state and would drain public libraries of funding meant for materials and programming and instead spent on construction for separation of spaces (and in many libraries, this simply isn't possible).

02-11-2026

Holly Allen

Vote No on HF 2309. The mandates stated in this bill are simply not feasible for many libraries in this state. My small town library is a single room. We do not have the funds nor staff nor space to completely segregate books on the ridiculous idea that they are "harmful". I've never seen a book jump off a shelf and force someone to read it. I assure you, they are quite inanimate.It is widely understood that a public library has books for all ages. When parents allow their children to visit a library independently, they provide tacit consent for their children to access these resources. The responsibility for monitoring a minor's media consumption lies with the parents, not the legislature or library staff. Libraries are community resources, not childcare facilities, and librarians are not babysitters.This bill represents a significant state overreach that mandates censorship under the guise of child protection and exposes our libraries to unfounded lawsuits.

02-11-2026

Kelly McManus

Vote No on this bill. Its a waste of taxpayer money to regulate, criminalizes noncriminals and weakens an institution for learning and resources in every Iowa community. If a librarian truly is grooming a child with inappropriate material that is already punishable. For all the outrage that brought this bill to committee, there havent been any kids harmed, damaged or deranged by any book. If parents disagree with content, they can oversee the books checked out or disallow their child from having a library card.

02-11-2026

Hayley Jackson

I strongly oppose this bill. The staff time required to recategorize materials according to the guidelines set out here, rearrange library spaces (and in some cases, potentially build new ones), and monitor the space would be a significant cost to most libraries in the state, taking valuable time (and taxpayer funds) away from regular library duties. The potential for opening libraries to potential civil and criminal liability would further risk increase costs on taxpayers and needlessly criminalize staff attempting to provide information.Libraries already separate adult and children sections in their libraries. Parents are already allowed, able, and encouraged to take an active interest in what their children take from the library. Librarians and library staff should not be in the position where they are forced to arbitrate standards of appropriateness for all minors (ranging from 118) beyond existing standards. Minors are entitled to privacy in their library checkouts.

02-11-2026

Jeremiah Jenkins

The proposed legislation follows a concerning pattern of bills fixated on labeling more and more library books as "harmful to minors." The swaths of material branded with this highly subjective label grow wider as the litany of "offensive" criteria grows longer. Every minute spent on this bill is a minute not spent bettering the lives of Iowans.

02-11-2026

Ashley Osborn

This criminalizes librarians and library staff from doing their jobs and doesnt ensure equitable access to library materials. This is unnecessary government overreach and would be devastating to so many libraries. Vote no on this bill!

02-11-2026

Michelle Andersen

Vote no. Librarians are already doing more than cataloging books... they do not need to function as parents policing who can and cannot use certain materials. Parents should help their children select materials that fit their family's values.

02-11-2026

Ellis Olson

Vote NO!!! My local library does not have room in their budget for either of these expenses, so they would need to cut programs and services to pay for them. Staff have not heard any concerns from parents about the issues this bill is attempting to address.

02-11-2026

Briana Smorstad

Vote no on this bill. All it will do is raise taxes and make it more difficult for libraries to do what they're supposed to serve the community. This bill is trying to address an issue that does not exist. This is absolutely embarrassing and shameful that this is what representatives are even thinking about.

02-11-2026

Mandy Grimm

I urge lawmakers to vote no to this overreaching bill that doesn't address the root issues of actual threats to minors, like algorithms, social media, asked AI. It would decimate libraries in rural areas in terms of cost to remodel and staff costs associated with such legislation. Additionally, it's unfair to expect local taxpayers to fund unnecessary changes to their buildings. Manny libraries will shutter or drastically reduce services in order to comply, which hurts everyone. Please focus efforts on real issues affecting Iowans, not histrionics and partisan theater.

02-11-2026

Erin Coughlin

Please vote no on this bill. Many public libraries already have procedures in place that can help parents navigate helping their children find appropriate materials but this is done in a way that works for that library and parent. This bill restricts local control and would place huge financial burdens on public libraries to figure out what legislature deems harmful to minors. If we want to protect kids from harmful media, we should be looking at their online access before we restrict library materials which have been vetted by professionals.

02-11-2026

Mariah Smith

This performative overreach is a waste of money and resources and attempts to address a problem that simply does not exist. The costs associated with renovations, along with diverting staff time to enforce the restrictions, will lead to reduced programming and services and will almost certainly result in smaller, rural libraries closing their doors. Vote NO on HF2309.

02-11-2026

Berea Kaimera

Oppose HF 2309. This puts unneeded burden on libraries. Its a great way to mess with their already low budget. The government does not need to get involved in who can access what books at librarys. Let parents take responsibility for their own kids!

02-11-2026

Janene Krug

I am writing to oppose house file 2309. This will significantly impact rural libraries, many of which who do not have the staffing, building space or funding to implement and enforce these policies. Knowledgeable and welltrained librarians are already mindfully selecting materials for community members, including children. These sweeping changes are unnecessary. Libraries have policies and procedures addressed collection development and reconsideration of materials. It is critical that you vote no and work together toward a better solution.

02-11-2026

Jessica Link

Vote NO on HF 2309. Libraries do not have obscene materials. Parents have the right and responsibility to review what their children read, and one familys choices do not have to align with anothers. This bill would upend the ways libraries serve our communities by limiting access to all through fear of frivolous lawsuits. Sharing library materials should never be a crime. This is a law meant to punish out of fear, not to meet an actual need in our state.

02-11-2026

Erik Sessions

Our public librarians spend so much time thoughtfully managing their budgets and their collections for the benefit of the citizens of Iowa. This bill will cripple library finances. Is it really the intention of this legislation to close libraries and further deprive all citizens of access to information? I thought that libraries were created as a repository of information for the edification of the masses, equally available to all and funded by a few minimal tax dollars. Of course there are biases, infinite points of view, discussion of hard subjects. That's what we want and need in a democracy. Please don't deprive Iowans of these basic rights.

02-11-2026

Stephanie French

I respectfully request that you vote no on this legislation. it is a clear example of government overreach, and runs contrary to American values. The public library is an institution of American pride, where people of all walks of life (age, resources available) can access information and community in a safe space. The people working in the library do it out of love, and they work already on small budgets that would not be able to manage what this bill is requiring of them. This bill would lead to the disintegration of a a place that is central to American identity, with no tangible benefit for anyone. This is a common sense vote, not a vote about partisan politics. Thank you for your time and service.

02-11-2026

Stephanie French

02-11-2026

Stephanie French

02-11-2026

Kennedy LaVille Thoren

HF 2309 would create confusion, liability, and inequity without improving outcomes for families. Parents already have the ability to guide and supervise their own childrens library use. This bill replaces local control and professional standards with a rigid, punitive framework that will harm communities across Iowa.I respectfully urge you to vote NO on HF 2309.PROTECT AND PRESERVE OUR LIBRARIES!

02-11-2026

Stephanie French

I respectfully urge you to vote no on this legislation. it is a clear example of government overreach, and runs contrary to American values. The public library is an institution of American pride, where people of all walks of life (age, resources available) can access information and community in a safe space. The people working in the library do it out of love, and they work already on small budgets that would not be able to manage what this bill is requiring of them. This bill would lead to the disintegration of a a place that is central to American identity, with no tangible benefit for anyone. This is a common sense vote, not a vote about partisan politics. Thank you for your time and service.

02-11-2026

Holly Moore [Luther College]

Please vote no on this bill: it is impractical and saddles public libraries with the task of censorship, which is the role not of the governments but of individual parents and guardians. Kids are not made safer by this unfortunate bill, and because of the financial burden it would impose, public libraries will be less able to provide important resources and programming to the entire public it serves. Finally, I am deeply disappointed that the public comment period was limited to 16 hoursthis makes it appear that the committee believes the publics view has no bearing on their decisions. Even the appearance of such undemocratic process is an embarrassment.Iowa should be better than this.

02-11-2026

Nancy Bakken

I strongly oppose this bill. If you are concerned about children, indeed, even teenagers, being somehow harmed by wondering into the adult section of our libraries, perhaps you should you should look at what they can access on their phones or by watching most television shows available. Its parents responsibility to monitor this, not understaffed libraries. This will decimate our libraries. Vote NO on this bill.

02-11-2026

Christopher Tyler

Please do not advance this bill. This is an unnecessary bill searching for a problem that does not exist. Libraries do NOT provide obscene materials to minors. This is pure and simple overreach, if you had a relationship with a library you would know this to be true. Please stop with this nonsense.

02-11-2026

Lyndsie Pitzenberger

Vote NO on HF2309. It will drain the alreadylimited resources for libraries and cities, especially in rural areas. Where are the studies that show how many children have been harmed by books? This is completely baseless legislation and a waste of time. Vote NO and move on to real issues.

02-11-2026

Kerry Vande Kieft

Please vote no on 2309. This is unnecessary and way too broad of a definition. Books are already denoted by the publisher if they are intended for an adult audience and libraries categorize them as such. Library budgets and staffing are already stretched too thin. This would also increase liability insurance costs and could force the closing of smaller rural libraries.

02-11-2026

Jean Kuehl

House File 2309 While I understand a patents concern about keeping their kids safe in this Information Age,House File 2309 is both an over reach and fails to look realistically at how to address those concerns. Layering on criminal penalties is just demeaning to the profession and the good people who work in libraries. Im so tired of leadership that moves to demonizing people. It barely touches the surface of the real sources that parents need to be concerned about. There are library boards that can much more meaningfully begin a dialogue and bring people together to address and resolve these concerns. Legislating is not the way forward. 02112026

02-11-2026

Tarah Kovacevich

This bill would effectively dismantle public libraries across Iowa, hitting rural communities the hardest. Public libraries are cornerstones of our towns providing access to books, educational resources, technology, and safe spaces for learning and growth.Parents absolutely have the right and responsibility to guide their own childrens reading choices. If a parent feels their child isnt ready for a particular book, that decision should be handled within their own family through conversation and guidance. But one familys preference should not limit access for every other family.We should trust parents to parent not restrict access for entire communities.

02-11-2026

Martha McClurg

I am vehemently opposed to HF 2309! Parents need to decide what materials are appropriate for their children, not the government. The thought that libraries could be closed to children due to the far reaching implications of this legislation is alarming. If passed, this bill would also create a vast number of hurdles for community institutions that are already short on staff, funding, and infrastructure. Please vote no!

02-11-2026

Elizabeth Estling

There is nothing in this bill that is actually protecting anyone. There is nothing to protect kids from this is simply an excuse to make life harder on librarians and libraries. This is an excuse for lazy parents to opt out of parenting and force everyone else to enact their personal wishes onto librarians. If I don't like books about horses should I throw a fit and ban them?

02-11-2026

Jenna Ehler

Please vote NO on this bill. This bill is overbroad and would be extremely detrimental to our local libraries and the communities they work so hard to serve. Our state should instead work on finding ways to grow reading and literacy for our children, rather than wasting time on efforts like this that would instead work against this goal.

02-11-2026

Bridget Carberry Montgomery

Please vote no on this piece of legislation. Our public libraries already have sufficient safeguards in place and this will be a SIGNIFICANT unfunded mandate for City and County budgets that are already under significant stress.

02-11-2026

Cari Meissner

STOP THIS. Libraries are not the problem. This is an OVERREACH of power. Communities can decide on their own how their libraries serve them best. Let communities do that. Not you. Action against libraries will harm families and communities and take away our rights.

02-11-2026

Amy Lindaas

VOTE NO! What ever happened to government overreach that Republicans claimed to be so against because this is 1000% overreach. Please highlight some actual studies and evidence that show how detrimental libraries are to kids once you have that evidence, then make a vote. How about that? Iowans are so tired of these pathetic, pointless bills wish we could defund Republican legislators that continue to vote against the best interests of their constituents and give their salaries to their local libraries instead. DO BETTER.

02-11-2026

Jennifer Proctor

No!Please stop leading us to the dystopian world we were warned about in classics like 1984 and Fahrenheit 451. Libraries have a happy place in my memory as a place to read, learn, and grow. If parents dont want their children to experience this, then they can prevent them from going. However, I think my children and other parents should be free to read, learn, and grow.

02-11-2026

Jackie Cordon

Vote no on HF2309. Parents are perfectly capable of monitoring what their kids read and its unrealistic to explicit libraries to do the job of policing each kid. It would require more time and money and our small libraries simply dont have those kinds of resources. This is a solution for a problem that doesnt exist. And it makes me suspicious that this is just about fundraising for politicians.

02-11-2026

Kolleen Hosford

Please vote no on HF 2309. Not only does this infringe on rights, but it will put an undue burden on libraries and the people who work there. Our libraries help provide the foundation so vital to the freedoms in our state. Please protect those freedoms.

02-11-2026

Sondy Kaska

Please vote NO on HF 2309. Libraries are vital to all Iowans, a place for learning, growth, and a variety of events and activities. Parents can decide what they want their kids to read. It should NOT be up to the government nor should librarians have additional responsibilities or face prosecution for doing their jobs. Let parents do theirs!

02-11-2026

Jennifer McMillan

This would be difficult to implement, especially in small, rural libraries which operate in a single space. Libraries may be forced to close to minors entirely. This would actually HARM children by removing access to ALL materials and on site programming if their access to the building is removed as a result.

02-11-2026

Teresa Wellman

OPPOSED. This bill is overkill and imposes significant burden on libraries, their staff, and their boards. It is NOT their responsibility to police what children seek or stumble across in the library. Parents that are concerned should tend their children while visiting their public library and not let them run free to stumble across a pearlclutching piece of literature! Adding in civil penalties is just ridiculous. Library staff are not babysitters and theres no reason to hold them accountable for a childs honest curiosity. Please vote NO.

02-11-2026

Melissa DeLong [- Select -]

This restriction is a complete contradiction of educational principles.Restrictions should never be put on public libraries or what they offer and who it is offered to. Let parents be parents and quit trying to build rules that should be left to a parent. Unbelievable! Vote NO!!!

02-11-2026

Steve Serrot

Please do not censure free speech. Do not take away available resources from individuals that may not be able to access them otherwise. Furthermore, please do not criminalize librarians that are trained professionals in their field. They play a very important role in our communities.

02-11-2026

Sydney Landstrom

This bill expands unnecessary control by the state into our public libraries. The rhetoric regarding obscene content is harmful, and it is disgraceful to add criminal penalties to librarians for their profession. Vote against on this disgusting and exhaustive oversight.

02-11-2026

William Wilsn

Please vote no on this bill. As a student that grew up in a low income house hold I know that minors may rely on the resources that libraries have to offer including but not limited to history context that would be shielded to them if this bill were to pass. All are deserving of knowledge, even minors, this is a form of censorship that we should not allow in this community or this country. This bill is not simply unjust but unrealistic for local libraries. The enforcement of this bill if it were to be passed would not only be difficult but also costly. If the people trying to pass this bill truly cares about the safety of our youth then they would put this funding and effort towards the physical safety of our youth in schools and not minimizing the information they are allowed. Please vote no on this bill to protect our rights to knowledge, save the funding that local libraries receive, and consider other ways to support and protect our youth. Thank you for your time.

02-11-2026

Debra Kellogg [FCD]

Vote No on this bill HF 2309! Stop all the craziness. We live in a the United States of America. Stop the censorship. Watching all the hate and lies and ignorance our federal government spews on a daily basis is far worse than what our children read. Let their parents decide what they can read. Dont punish libraries!

02-11-2026

Jade Hart

Vote NO for this harmful, unnecessary bill. "Materials harmful to minors" is a relative term and should not be dictated by the State. Our public librarians are trained to choose ageappropriate books that give families choices. I do not want the government dictating what my children can and cannot read, nor do I want our public librarians criminalized! This is extreme overreach. Stop the madness!

02-11-2026

Kathy Miller

VOTE NO on HF2309. The libraries are an important part of our communities. This bill would will put so many unnecessary and costly restrictions that many of our libraries, especially the smaller rural ones will have to close. will have to close.

02-11-2026

Rita Bresnan

Vote NO! This bill will demolish libraries, especially in small communities. If you are so concerned about kids reading things that will destroy their innocence, why don't you just ban all cell phones and computers? HF 2309 is a terrible bill and should be squashed.

02-11-2026

Alexis Hardiman

Please vote no! The requirements for review and library technology system functionality would be burdensome for already strained library budgets and staff time constraints. We have 4 employees total and all are parttime minus the director. Not all of us work in large DSM libraries. We're very limited on what we can offer as it is in our rural communities.Our city library is one building, one level. We don't have the space to have a completely separated adult area. If this goes through, we may be forced to close to minors entirely. Many rural libraries would have the same issue. Our libraries are a lifeline to kids, especially those from lowincome families. The civil and criminal liability for libraries, trustees, and employees may make municipal insurance coverage more costly or unavailable.

02-11-2026

Max Levandoski

Please vote no! This bill is a true example of government overreach. They want to control what we learn, think, say and do. I thought Iowa was committed to upholding a free and fair society for everyone. Why is the legislator trying to destroy Iowas libraries??? Shameful overreach and not what Iowans want!

02-11-2026

Sonja Ferrell [Citizen and librarian]

I write to urge you to oppose HF 2309 as a parent, a library board president and a library director. As a parent of kids who read well above their grade level it upsets me to think we are limiting access of what they can read to challenge the. As a small town library board president I would like you to consider the space restrictions and limitations in our records systems to logistically enforce such unnecessary legislation. As a library director I wish that you would observe the local authority and individual policies that each library has for children obtaining library cards. The state should not be legislating one policy for all of our public libraries. Keep the local control.

02-11-2026

Justin Raney

WHAT is wrong with you??? Why are you trying to stop people from READING IN A LITERACY CRISIS?!! One day you will be older than you are already and the nurses charged with your care will be too illiterate to give you the correct medications. One day your roads will be built by engineers untrained in math, and they will fail. One day your structures will crumble and your monuments will turn to dust because you have turned your eyes from the light and sought for the suffering of others. When your day of reckoning comes remember this, though it is not the first of the bridges youve burned.

02-11-2026

Brittney Lerner

Vote NO. This is ridiculous we tell you every single year to stop attacking libraries. For years IA has been falling behind and now you want to take access away from patrons. Parents should be able to make their own decisions on what their children read. This is government overreach. Leave libraries alone.

02-11-2026

David Anderson

No on HF 2309. If you are concerned about the safety of children, you would be far better served to investigate the people who insist on inspecting their genitals before sporting events, supposedly looking for transgender children. The only effect of this bill will be to shutter local libraries, leading to a more ignorant population, which will be unable to grow our economy in the 21st century.

02-11-2026

Jennifer Gardner

Please vote no. I oppose this bill. I grew up in a rural public library. I lived to read, and the librarians were the best! This bill would destroy public libraries.Let parents parent their children. The state had no business here. Children can find more harmful things on their cell phones!

02-11-2026

Sarah Hatton

Please vote no to this bill! This is essentially creating a restricted section of the library, which will not work and isn't the government's job to oversee. Parents, teachers, and librarians are the best people to help children make decisions about what they want to read, not politicians. Having a wide range of materials for children to read is vital so that they can explore the world and learn about new things. Leave our libraries alone.

02-11-2026

Sophia Root

There is no reason for this bill to pass aside from withholding information from the public. The public library is a resource to so many. We should be providing as many resources as we can to these places not taking from them.

02-11-2026

Elsabeth Hepworth

VOTE NO ON HF 2309. Iowa consistently ranks no. 1 in the nation for the number of public libraries per capita. This legislation poses grave risk to the 75% of Iowa libraries serving small, rural populations. How do you propose a volunteerstaffed facility implement this legislation in an operating space of less than 1,000 sq feet? The average rural library with a state aid budget of under $1,400 cannot absorb the costs of a single lawsuit without closing its doors. We should be looking for ways to strengthen these local resources rather than introducing legislation that could effectively bankrupt them.

02-11-2026

Sam Sunderland

Vote no! This bill makes little to no sense. There is so much more than explicit material in an adult section in a library. Most Large Print materials are located in the adult section. If this were to pass, any child with a vision impairment would not be able to access the necessary materials to READ. Libraries have been around for 5,000+ years and somehow you are deciding that children NOW are not allowed to read or even ENTER an adult section?? Government censoring public information, classic! Please vote no, kids have a right to view anything in a public, government owned space. Additionally, the time and money that it would take to implement this change is a complete waste of resources for all Iowa Library employees.

02-11-2026

Ashley Burns

I STRONGLY OPPOSE this bill. While were at it, lets just be very clear & call this legislation out for what it is and is not: This isnt about protecting our children; This is about a government testing some of our most fundamental human rights as American citizens. History has always shown us that the people who are the loudest proponents of censorship are always the bad guys in the end.

02-11-2026

Lisa heineman

Please vote no on this bill! Our young people need more, not less, access to books. Librarians are heroes for the work they do. They shouldn't be "rewarded" by facing criminal penalties if someone in the community doesn't like the way they carry out their job.

02-11-2026

Kim Stoner

This is unacceptable. Our public libraries are an invaluable resource for our communities. As Americans we value freedom, not censorship and penalties for our public servants. Family values, morals and principles are core for our nation to thrive, but this means that parents take an active role in their childrens lives, not dump responsibility on others by punitive and restrictive laws taking away our freedoms. Please stop HF 2309.

02-11-2026

Katie Fetting

Vote no! Public libraries are critical to education, curiosity, and understanding this bill would restrict their ability to provide this important public service. Libraries should not be censored and should not have this additional financial burden forced upon them. Library patrons can decide (for themselves or with their guardians) what they feel comfortable reading.

02-11-2026

Marie Herring

I am strongly opposed to this bill, and frankly embarrassed that it is being introduced in my home state that once led the nation in educational efforts. This bill, if enacted would be the end of public libraries, a hub for so much of what rural communities rely on. I strongly urge the subcommittee to vote against this shameful bill.

02-11-2026

Dorea Burkamper

Please vote no to this bill. It is overreaching and restricts access to books for a population that depends on the public library. I cannot imagine my life without books and book clubs please do not take this gift away from communities. Public libraries fuel literacy and a love of learning. They are an essential part of growth and opportunity for all.

02-11-2026

Jan Netolicky

Here we go again . . . a "solution" in search of a problem. Instead of attempting to criminalize those hardworking librarians and support staff for helping our citizens access materials to enlighten, enrich, entertain, and inform, why don't you prioritize issues that most Iowans care about. VOTE NO.

02-11-2026

David Heim

What are these people afraid of? What are we protecting children from?Did I miss an event that caused some child at a library irreparable brain damage from reading?And why target the librarians?In 1930s Germany, the Nazis simply burned all the books that they considered harmful. This country is on that path.

02-11-2026

Josh Bell

This bill places an extraordinary burden on Iowas public libraries and the people who work in them. It requires extensive review and classification of materials, new tracking and access systems, documentation retention, and potential physical space changes, all without providing funding. Small and rural libraries will be hit hardest.Even more concerning, HF 2309 exposes individual library employees and directors to personal legal liability and costly lawsuits. That kind of risk will make it far more difficult to recruit and retain qualified professionals and will push libraries to operate defensively rather than thoughtfully.Our libraries are already stretched thin. This bill adds legal exposure, administrative complexity, and financial strain without clear benefit. Please reject HF 2309.

02-11-2026

Larissa Boeck

It is likely not a coincidence that the Epstein file release was delayed until the state legislative sessions were in full swing, so that story could steal the focus as harmful legislation is jammed through at lightning speed in state legislature. Your constituents know this legislation is harmful and it is your job to see that the people of Iowa's will is done, not the Heritage Foundation. OPPOSE this awful bill!!!

02-11-2026

Tina Hertel

Please vote NO on HF2309. This creates a punitive framework that undermines parental rights, threatens the survival of Iowa libraries, and ignores established developmental research. First, it ignores developmental differences by lumping all minors (017) together, ignoring the needs of minors as they age. Second, it undermines parental authority by replacing individual family choice and dialogue with statemandated restrictions that govern all families based on the most restrictive standards. Third, for most Iowa libraries, the administrative requirements are functionally impossible. Minimal staff and singleroom layouts cannot accommodate these mandates, risking total closure. Fourth, it strips local control and divides communities. Finally, a substantial body of research shows that reading diverse and challenging literature strengthens empathy, critical thinking, literacy development, and emotional resilience in young people (rather than causing harm) Please vote NO. Thank you.

02-11-2026

Sharon Moss

Children in rural areas may not have many places where they can go after school or on weekends, and may not have the same opportunities that children in larger towns have access to. Rural children should not be discriminated against by someone who has decided to try and take away our First Amendment rights as Americans. it is unfathomable how this legislature seems to keep coming up with reasons to encourage people to move away from Iowa. Vote no on hf 2309 so that no child will be left behind.

02-11-2026

Lynnda Milllard-Sanborn

Please vote no on this unnecessary and ridiculous bill. I thought our current Iowa legislature was all for freedom and parental control. So, let the parents monitor their children, and stop trying to restrict our freedom to read what we want. And calling for criminal penalties is ludicrous. A fine example of government overreach. Please stop this bill now!

02-11-2026

Nancy AntonJensen

Please vote no to HF 2309! We have professionals and safe guards for choosing age appropriate materials as well as systems in place to challenge materials from the public. This is unnecessary and punitive to our professionals!

02-11-2026

Tina Hertel

Please vote NO on HF2309. This bill creates a punitive framework that undermines parental rights, threatens the survival of Iowa libraries, and ignores established developmental research. First, it ignores developmental differences by lumping all minors (017) together, ignoring the needs of minors as they age. Second, it undermines parental authority by replacing individual family choice and dialogue with statemandated restrictions that govern all families based on the most restrictive standards. Third, for most Iowa libraries, the administrative requirements are functionally impossible. Minimal staff and singleroom layouts cannot accommodate these mandates, risking total closure. Fourth, it strips local control and divides communities. Finally, research consistently shows that reading diverse and challenging literature strengthens empathy, critical thinking, literacy development, and emotional resilience in young people (rather than causing harm.) Please vote NO. Thank you.

02-11-2026

Toby Cain

Anyone with a heart will oppose this bill. My fellow Iowans speak the plain truth that this is a purposefully inflammatory piece of messaging disguised as legislation. Let the public use our public libraries. Wheres the party of small government?

02-11-2026

Angel Pena-Rodriguez

Vote NO! As others have stated, this will place an onerous burden onto already overworked public servants! This labor will be undoubtedly undercompensated, if compensated at all that is, some libraries will have to enlist the aid of local volunteers to effectuate and uphold this law. Most importantly, this statute is an overextension of the government into private affairs; books do NOT need governmental moderation. This form of media, like the rest, should be accessible to all people with parents acting as the gatekeepers of content, not State legislation. Please listen to your constituents, who are your friends, neighbors, and family members.

02-11-2026

Lisa Martincik

I strenuously oppose this bill. This is a nanny state bill, a slap in the face to libraries, parents, and children themselves. Legislatively yall seem to trust no one but yourselves, except for giving parents the power to subject their children to conversion therapy. When it comes to reading and using the library apparently parents cant be trusted to communicate with their children or accompany them to public places, and librarians suddently cant be trusted to do their jobs. Nobody wansts or needs this bill; something here is harmful to minors but its not the libraries. Please devote your energies towards real public goods like clean water.

02-11-2026

Rachel Rugg

Public libraries are a valuable resource. Most people think so. Apparently, the author of this bill wants to destroy public libraries. This bill is not about protecting children. It is about censorship and the government controlling what people read. Why would you suggest that people can sue their local library? What good is that for any city or county budget? Parents are responsible for what their children read. No one else. Librarians are not responsible for what a child checks out from the library. I oppose this bill. Vote NO on HF2309.

02-11-2026

Diana Boeglin

I oppose HF2309. This is a violation of the first amendment. This bill is why young people are leaving our state: ridiculous overreach by Republicans who ignore real issues like water quality, maternal healthcare deserts, and skyrocketing cancer rates, and focus on book burning instead.

02-12-2026

Noah Rouw

Vote no. This bill does nothing to protect minors from "elicit materials" and is more an effort to expand state control and censorship. Parents should have conversations with their kids over what materials they can get from the library, this is making a mountain out of a mole hill. Vote no!!

02-11-2026

Sam ALA President

House File 2309 doesnt meaningfully address parents real concerns about kids and explicit content.This HF leverages a national concern about navigating the Information Age and keeping children safe admist prolific access to personal devices (95% of American teens and 75% of American tweens according to Pew Research 2025) to target public libraries and erode constitutional protections. While half a dozen bills this session focus on library shelves and databases, none address the platforms actually delivering unfiltered, algorithmdriven explicit content to minors like social media, screen time exposure, or internet service providers. If this were truly about protecting kids, wed be having a very different conversation.Please use the power the people of Iowa have given you to address harm and resolve concerns and uplift local leaders who are serving along side you. We are all Iowans and we deserve legislation that brings us together to work and grow and solve.

02-11-2026

Robert Critser

Again and again with the government overreach! While we may agree on some things, determining what is harmful to minors is subjectiveand libraries make that distinction without governmental input.It is on parents and guardians to set guidelines and boundaries for their children if they have concerns about specific materials. Civil and criminal penalties travel in both directions if you violate first amendment protections and freedom of thought and expression which is implied there within. Please vote NO and let our libraries function without unnecessary interference. Thank you.

02-11-2026

Chris Stoner

This bill would drastically reshape Iowa's public library for the worse. The mandated review of the thousands of items in a library's collection would require libraries to close for extended periods of time, denying vital services to the public they pay taxes for. To be compliant with this law, libraries without the staff or space to adequately separate collections and verify patron ages would have to become adultonly libraries, as we've seen happen in Idaho already. Vote no on this shortsighted bill that protects no one.

02-11-2026

Zach Row-Heyveld

Vote NO on this bill. For the library in my small town to comply with this legislation, taxpayers will need to spend at least $120,000 in construction costs to physically separate the children and adult sides of the building and around $70,000 annually to pay for staff members to check IDs and accounts at two doors. This is a phenomenal waste of money for something that is not an issue in our area and will result in losses of programs and services that working families, seniors, and other members of the community actively rely on. Also, shame on you for allowing significantly less than 24 hours for public comment on this piece of legislation.

02-11-2026

Beth Donohue

This will be the end of most public libraries. Smaller libraries, like ours, are one open room. There is no way to block off the children's area from the rest of the library without building walls and doubling staffing, which is untenable with the budgets of most communities.

02-11-2026

David Scott

This bill is poorly conceived and would have a dramatic and negative impact on libraries around the state, especially in small, rural communities. Most libraries are not well set up to physically exclude children from the adult's section, and to do so would require tens of thousands of dollars in renovations and untold amounts of staff time. Also, this prohibition is unnecessarily broad. If my child wants to learn about axolotls or Star Wars, but the nature book or Star Wars dictionary is on the adult side, why shouldn't he be able to access it? This seems like a terrible idea all around.

02-11-2026

Sally Stromseth

How weary I am of having to repeatedly defend my public library from state control. Let the trained professional librarians stock their shelves with the materials they feel is needed to satisfy the public they serve. There must be an abundance of things you could be doing with you legislative time than preying on public libraries. Pease vote 'NO'.

02-11-2026

M. E. Bowler

HF2309 wastes taxpayer money, reduces access to education and community resources, and damages one of our most trusted public services. The rushed timeline for public comment further undermines public trust and meaningful civic participation.This bill would force public libraries to become controlled spaces, requiring physical barriers and constant monitoring to restrict access for minors. Kids will not be protected. This is costly and unnecessary transformation of libraries into enforcement sites, diverting public funds away from education, literacy, and community services.This bill is costly, unnecessary, and harmful. It should be rejected.

02-11-2026

Kate Narveson

Dear Judiciary Committee members,As you work hard on the bills in front of you, please take careful note of the impracticalities and expense of HF2309. I urge you to vote against it. The cost to my local library is estimated at $190,000 in remodeling and staffing. Being forced to take on those costs would mean cutting programs that are heavily used and appreciated by the community. Further, I haven't seen evidence that the law addresses an actual problem that can't be addressed any other way.Please vote NO.

02-11-2026

Rick Phillips

Pass HF2309. Constitutional protections come up a lot in the discussions of public libraries. But does a library have the right to intellectually sexualize minor children or do children and parents have a reasonable expectation to be intellectually safe from predatory conduct? A library does not have constitutional rights to emotionally molest the intellectual minds of children. This is an excellent bill that creates a buzzsaw defense for protecting children. If there was ever a time for excessive regulation, it would be now. There is no such thing as too much protection for minors. The public library system has been overrun by Marxists, groomers, reprobates and pedophile minded people. We know this how? Because those complicit in those actions defend them. It is so bad with the kinds of books made available to minors it appears the spirit of Jeffery Epstein is running the library system. Morality demands that HF2309 is passed to protect innocent children.

02-11-2026

Deborah Jacobi

Please vote No on HF2309.As the granddaughter of a librarian who instilled in me a love of reading and learning, it is disturbing to see this government intrusion into libraries. With many serious issues facing Iowans, why is overreach into local libraries anything other than a culture war tactic? Please vote No on HF2309.

02-11-2026

Morgan Turner

Please vote no against this bill! There are ways to meaningfully protect children from harm without punishing local libraries. Please allow libraries to focus on making common sense policies with library boards so they can continue to serve families of all backgrounds and faiths. Laws like these disable community libraries from doing their work, and impede our goals of community literacy, collaboration with parents, and supporting families and individuals with free resources, recreational opportunity, and safety. Librarians work diligently to empower parents and caregivers to make decisions that are right for their own families. This bill is over reaching and will cause chaos and harm to communities, diverting funds and people away from the focus of public libraries: public service for everyone.

02-11-2026

Robert Vrtis

HF 2309 is an onerous bill with tremendous financial implications for local libraries (and therefore taxpayers). It causally risks the closure of many libraries across the state who cannot absorb the cost of implementing the implied needed changes particularly concerning physical barriers. Others may survive with drastically reduced offerings. The cost is simply not worth a governmental chase after bogeymen. Vote No on this bill.

02-11-2026

Lilly Jensen

This bill will have a significant negative impact on libraries around the state, but most especially in small, rural communities. The structural or staffing changes required to physically separate youth from physical adult materials are fiscally irresponsible and ineffective ways of preventing youth from accessing inappropriate content, since the vast majority of inappropriate content is available online. The costs of such changes will result in libraries cutting the services and programs that rural Iowans utilize and depend on, hurting the very youth this bill claims to protect.

02-11-2026

Carmen Golay [Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library]

This bill truly does nothing to protect children from "harmful materials" as nearly every home in the US has multiple internet connected devices. Most small rural libraries like ours are one large room; being in compliance with a law such as this would be hundreds of thousands of dollars in construction costs and would double the cost of our staffing. We are barely scraping by with the budgets we have and this would be the end of public libraries. Additionally, many libraries such as ours conduct FAMILY programs and intergenerational events that welcome all ages together in the same space. We do puzzle nights, games nights, informational sessions for our community and many other programs where adults and children are in the entire library together again, one big room. Building a wall and door would end all of these programs and that is not what our communities need or want. Families & parents are capable of deciding what is safe for them and how to access it.

02-11-2026

Christina Vrtis

Please vote no on HF 2309. It is an overreach of the state that will cost libraries and taxpayers, especially in rural areas, an inordinate amount of money that is simply unnecessary and wasteful. Please vote no on this bill.

02-11-2026

Lily Smith

VOTE NO! This is an extreme overreach by the government. The time and money it would take for libraries to follow this is completely unnecessary and wasteful. Leave setting guidelines for children in the hands of their parents and guardians.

02-11-2026

Alison E

Please vote no.This bill cannot be easily implemented by my rural library. There is a significant cost associated with hiring personnel, changing the space to close the area off, the record keeping of permissions, etc. This cost would be passed along to taxpayers who have budgets currently stretched to the limit. Additionally, as the parent of two small children, I believe it is the parent's responsibility to know (and determine) what content their child is reading not the library's. I hope all vote no. That vote would continue to support our children's love of reading through the resources at our amazing public library.

02-11-2026

Amanda Sand

Vote NO on HF 2309. The practical and legal consequences of this proposal are serious and farreaching. The restrictions are over broad, with unintended consequences for implementation. The first amendment rights of adult Iowans will be restricted due to the imperfections of filtering and classification systems. Time and money costs to implement would greatly impact library services and budgets. The creation of civil and criminal liability on libraries, trustees, and individual employees is very concerning and will impact insurability of these public servants. Content that is illegal to distribute or to distribute to minors is already illegal. This bill is unnecessary.

02-11-2026

Roxanne Rawson

I am so grateful for public libraries and how much they do for a community. As a resident of very rural Iowa, I am particularly grateful for all the little libraries that are accessible to multiple tiny communities in the area.While I appreciate the legislature's and the public's concern for minors, I worry about the sustainability of not only our little libraries, but even larger libraries, if HF 2309 were to pass.I urge us to encourage parents and guardians to accompany minor children if they have concerns about accessing specific materials. Allow local librarians and library boards to do what they do well by attending primarily to providing services, materials and programming without an added burden of restructuring a library's layout (many of which are likely constrained by staffing, funds, and physical plant).

02-11-2026

Chris Hubbs

Please vote NO on this bill. Responsibility for children's access to various content should be the responsibility of the parents. The library's role is to provide community access to information and resources. Requiring the library to further categorize all materials and then gatekeep access to them would hamstring our library's ability to serve the community. This bill needs to go away.

02-11-2026

Jake Rochford-Volk

Vote NO! House File 2309 removes access to materials and reduces the ability of libraries to adequately offer services. Several bills this session focus on library shelves, which avoids addressing real issues. This HF has nothing to do with protecting kids and everything to do with control. Please, leave library shelves alone and leave decisions to local authority. Don't censor us and don't let a few voices censor the majority!

02-11-2026

Beth Rotto

Please vote NO as this bill would certainly damage Iowa's communities. Our library is already a safe place for local children and offers outstanding programs. These would suffer if staff time is spent otherwise, not to mention the waste of taxpayer dollars if remodeling is required, and which might be impossible in some small, one room libraries. Think carefully before jumping to the conclusion that this bill would help protect children.

02-11-2026

J Basye

Small, rural public libraries in Iowa will be decimated because of this legislation. Many of them are simple, one room buildings that have no space, no funding, and no possible way of making their libraries compliant with this law. Please vote no on HF2309.

02-11-2026

Colleen Wetli

This HF2309 bill would put libraries at a financial loss, using the funds needed for BOOKS AND MATERIALS and instead using that money to close off the complete adult section and make sure children and teens would not go into that section. A mother with children would not be able to browse in the library because she wouldn't be able to have her toddler or baby in the adult section. A parent is responsible for making sure they know what their children are reading; not the library. A library should not be legally responsible for the materials that minors are reading (library staff can limit what minors are able to check out), but not be criminally responsible if a teen sneaks out a book! How ridiculous. Put the responsibility where the responsibility should be at the discretion and responsibility of the parents. Let us please use common sense.Thank you,Colleen Wetli

02-11-2026

Eleanor Ball

Vote NO. This is an unfunded mandate that will decimate rural public libraries that do not have the physical space or staff capacity to comply with this law. They may forced to close since they cannot comply with this law, cutting off valuable services rural and poor Iowans depend on.

02-11-2026

Jennifer Delperdang

I am opposed to HF 2209. This bill will create a burden on local municipalities to enforce. I would rather my tax dollars be spent to fund a diverse collection of library materials than on the ridiculous legal battles that will ensue if this bill passes. This bill is not going to protect the children. But a parent that visits the library with their child can guide them in what they want them to read. Please focus your time and energy on those things that will improve the lives of Iowans, and not things like this. Iowans do not want this kind of government overreach. We have had enough of these bills. Please do not advance this bill.

02-11-2026

Donetta Stewart

Vote NO! I am the director of the Auburn Public Library and I do not see how we could continue to operate if this passes. Smaller libraries, like ours, are one open room. There is no way to block off the children's area from the rest of the library. It will be the end of many libraries here in Iowa.

02-11-2026

Emma Stoffer

To effectively implement the mandates outlined in HF 2309, libraries across the state will almost certainly have to close or suspend service, especially those in small and rural communities. Perhaps the best option for libraries across this state is to simply end all library service to children and teenagers. It appears to be the only viable path to ensure the continued existence of public librarianship in Iowa, and regular, traditional, and celebrated library service can resume in a future when these baseless attacks on intellectual freedom end.

02-11-2026

Martin Refsal

Please vote no on this bill. Iowas public libraries already serve their communities responsibly, and decisions about what is appropriate for children are best made by families and trained library professionalsnot by broad state mandates. Requiring costly renovations, additional staffing, and sweeping collection reviews would divert scarce public funds away from literacy, education, and community programming that people of all ages rely on. This proposal risks weakening one of the most trusted and accessible public institutions in our state without clear benefit. I urge you to reject it.

02-11-2026

Sophia Nall

Not only is this legislation completely out of reach for most libraries in Iowa to feasibly comply with due to extremely limited budget and staffing, but it is a total overreach. It is appalling to me that the Iowa legislature sees it as its place to reach so deeply into the lives of families and children under the guise of protecting them. If you were truly worried about the types of ideas and content kids are able to access, Id start with the internet, not libraries. Its this kind of bizarre, antiintellectual, antifirst amendment overreach that makes me so ashamed of the people who are supposed to represent us.

02-11-2026

Amber McNamara

This bill would be devastating to public libraries and to kids/families in our communities. Libraries are already working so hard to provide ageappropriate materials based on their education, expertise, and knowledge. They do not need to be legislated to do so. This would create barriers to service, making it nearly impossible to implement. How can we raise kids into adults who can be critical thinkers if we are unwilling to let them read books and have conversations about tough topics? This is an unnecessary overreach and it would have terrible ramifications. Please vote NO!!!!

02-11-2026

Wendy Doyel

Vote no on HF 2309. It seems I am consistently defending our libraries against bills that could be extremely detrimental. This bill will only serve to keep children from libraries, create financial difficulties for already strained budgets, create liability for library employees; potentially making municipal insurance more costly or unavailable, and could ultimately cost taxpayers more money. This does not seem any good for the people of Iowa, please stop attacking our precious libraries.

02-11-2026

Candace Graybill

Please vote NO!! Leave our libraries alone kids need access to all information and the government shouldnt be in charge of what my kids can read! Kids are our future they deserve the opportunity to learn to their fullest advantage not censored materials. Librarians shouldnt be penalized for providing a public space that is open to all.

02-11-2026

Aime Rovelo

I oppose this bill because it does not address a high priority issue and is too costly for marginal gains, if they can even be considered gains. Minors, ages under 18, may need access to historical sections of libraries to supplement texts, computer, or printing services their own school libraries or homes may not have and books that discuss puberty which is not something many families do at home. These lacking sex education conversations and lacking library resources lead to bad hygiene at best, and unintended pregnancy and vulnerability to sexual abuse at home or at school at worst.

02-11-2026

Charles Crain

The overall costs to implement this measure at our public library would be disastrous to the already taxed operating budget. Also, this bill demands public libraries to comply with segregating itself or face punishment for failing to parent other people's kids. All taxpayers would be ultimately responsible for this. What is the point?

02-11-2026

Brett Cloyd

Dear legislators. I encourage you to vote no on HF2309. I'll just highlight a few talking points. This is overbroad. The requirements for review and library technology system functionality would be burdensome for already strained library budgets and staff time constraints. This would be difficult to implement, especially in small, rural libraries which operate in a single space. Libraries may be forced to close to minors entirely. The civil and criminal liability for libraries, trustees, and employees may make municipal insurance coverage more costly or unavailable. Libraries provide important resources for adults and children across our state of Iowa. I believe there must be more constructive ways to meet the concerns of parents by bringing together city governments, library personnel, library board members, children and other community members to discuss alternatives.

02-11-2026

Katie Lawless

No to this kind of extreme censorship. Bowing to conservative ideas to the detriment of freedom of speech is wrong. And to include libraries of all places in this kind of legislation is ridiculous. Vote no on this bill.

02-11-2026

Todd Pedlar

I would STRONGLY urge you to consider the effect of the bill that is under consideration, should it be enacted. PLEASE take seriously the question of whether it actually addresses the real concerns that people have about access to material that children and teenagers shouldn't have access to. Yes,children and teenagers who are able currently to walk into the adult section of the library MIGHT inadvertantly come across works like Beloved, or 1984. The phones in their pockets gives access to far more damaging things, far more explicit things, than any such classic works of literature as these. PLEASE also consider what this means for the various communities around the state, should this bill be signed into law, who will then be saddled with large, unfunded expenses to renovate the library spaces, or to pay additional staff to bar entry to unpermitted minors from the adult part of the library's holdings. What must be sacrific by our libraries to comply with this law? PLEASE vote NO!

02-11-2026

Jessica Netolicky

Vote NO on HF 2309. This criminalizes librarians and library staff from doing their jobs. It restricts minors access to information and creates barriers to learning. It undermines local control and professional review standards. Finally, any obscene or inappropriate material that teens are exposed to is not coming from library collections.

02-11-2026

Stephanie Jones

I respectfully urge you to vote no on HF 2309. Protecting minors from harmful material is a responsibility we all share. However, this proposal places new civil and criminal penalties on public libraries. Public libraries operate under established professional standards, community oversight, and constitutional safeguards.

02-12-2026

Katrina Brown

Vote no!!Librarians should not be punished for materials kids read. It is up to parents to parent their child. This is government overreach. Stay out of the familys business. Stop trying to control what materials citizens have access to.

02-12-2026

Molly Altorfer

02-12-2026

Vince Ellison

I dont support this bill. It turns public libraries into enforcement zones, shifts parenting decisions to the state, and threatens librarians with civil and criminal penalties for doing their jobs. It is an expensive, unfunded mandate that will hit small and rural libraries hardest.At a time when Iowans are concerned about water quality, healthcare access, workforce development, and rising costs, why is this the priority? Focus on the issues that actually strengthen our communities rather than creating new problems for local libraries.

02-12-2026

Stephanie Lientz

I oppose this bill and urge legislators to vote no. I haven't seen any evidence presented of an actual problem this bill seeks to solve, and would prefer legislators to stop attacking libraries and their patrons and focus on some of the very real problems (water quality, increased cancer rates, etc.) that DO exist in our state.

02-12-2026

Darcy Dugan

Vote no to this bill. Public libraries are amazing because they provide access to information and independent thought. Protect freedom of choice for individuals and families. Do not penalize libraries or their staff to cater to narrowminded individuals who wish to control the narrative.

02-12-2026

Lynda Ostedgaard

Vote NO on this bill. Public libraries are the foundation of our communities. Parents are the arbiters of only their own children's reading, and should not impose on preferences of others, especially to the point of criminalizing librarians.

02-12-2026

Laura Wyre

VOTE NO. This bill is a ridiculous waste of time. Its disgraceful that we pay you to create and vote on such nonsense. Focus on real problems pleasepeople with hundreds of thousands of medical debt, families who are being KIDNAPPED, schools without funding, staging, ir supportI could go on for hours. This bill would do nothing but harm local libraries which are not only a place for reading and learning, but a safe space for many to get resources, shelter, and kindness. VOTE NO.

02-12-2026

Jean Oberbroeckling

Please not NO! Libraries and schools do not own obscene materials. Biased viewpoints should NOT dictate what our schools and libraries should have in their collections. Who better to determine the intent of a book or media resource than trained librarians and media specialists? They know the boundaries of what is permissible and what is not! They know what is age appropriate and what is not! And if there is such a concern regarding a book, then PARENTS do have the ultimate right and responsibility to accompany their child to the library to help select books! As a parent, I resent others who are biased against marginalized groups, who need their stories to be told so MY child can understand and celebrate the differences found in all of us. I resent others who feel they can dictate my child's reading of "coming of age" books, that explore the very nature of who we are! The power in any book is in the discussion of its message with parents and teachers! PLEASE vote NO!

02-12-2026

Traci Stiles

Please vote "no". Children find/see obscene materials online, on television, and through their peers. They don't go seek out "obscene" materials at the library, so this bill is unnecessary. And who defines what materials are "obscene"? Please don't try restrict libraries any further; I'm a lifelong reader and supporter of the Des Moines Public Library and my small town library.

02-12-2026

Claudia Garcia

I'm opposed to this bill. Please vote No. It is important to note that as a parent I trust the trained professionals that curate our public libraries collections. Individual parents and families have different views and they are responsible for policing what their own children read or access. However, they don't have the right to limit the rights of all the library patrons.

02-12-2026

Danielle Roderick

Plesse vote no on this one. Our libraries are what make our community vibrant and special, and is no place for this kind of control. This would limit access to the libraries for kids (for kids!)when have we ever wanted kids to have less access to a library? Renember all the READ posters from the 80s and 90s? This law is so harmful. Please vote no.

02-12-2026

Catherine Van Maanen

To provide a way for Libraians and Trustees to be sued is absolutely ludicrous. Trustees are community volunteers and many Librarians grossly underpaid. I am a library director and I dread sharing any of this with my dedicated Trustees.

02-12-2026

Hannah Frederick

Vote no! This would effectively shut down many smaller rural libraries that don't have the budget to fulfill the law requirements. Our town has had a library since the 1850s and has never had an issue with children being able to be in the same area as the adult books. No library has, just leave things alone. This is a completely made up issue.

02-12-2026

Leanne Williams

NO. Stop this bill that is only meant to further culture wars and political division. This bill is an attack on public services that do far more than provide reading material. Our state used to pride itself on intellectual freedom and achievement. Please focus on bills that unite us and address real, actual concerns of Iowans.

02-12-2026

Mary Cooper

Please VOTE NO on HF2309 This is government overreach addressing an imaginary problem that does not exist, and the cost required for technologies required to manage the regulations and restrictions imposed by this bill would be cost prohibitive for the majority of libraries across the state. This is an attack on public libraries and freedom. Books that are marketed for an adult audience are already catalogued and placed in sections of the library designated for adults.

02-12-2026

Angela West

Vote NO! This bill will end Iowa public libraries and will actively harm Iowa communities served by public libraries every day. This is harmful to parental rights and is government overreach! This will create an environment where frivolous lawsuits consume public dollars and an overworked judicial system. This is bad legislation and your constituents DO NOT WANT THIS!

02-12-2026

Jaime Bizarri

Vote NO to this bill. Our public libraries are filled with trained professionals who are knowledgeable in their literature. Libraries do not need government oversight. This will effectively end public libraries and all of the wonderful benefits they provide to the community.

02-12-2026

Maddi Sieck

OPPOSE. How lazy and entitled do you have to be, to expect the world to censor itself to reflect your beliefs. As a child I watched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, I am not a ninja or a turtle. As a child I read about violence against Jesus in the Bible, I am not a violent person. This is rooted in the idea that children exposed to ideas will become those ideas. As an educator this is a ridiculous idea. If every child listened to everything teachers or librarians said, 67 would not be a thing. Children should be taught critical thinking and removing ideas makes them ignorant. This is censorship, its as ridiculous as my arguments because this bill is a joke on democracy. Oppose oppose oppose.

02-12-2026

Corgi Bradbury

Please vote NO on this disgraceful bill! Such a measure would harm kids far more than "protect" them, and is simply another attempt at controlling the public. We can see this bill for what it is: overreach and mass censorship. The responsibility of overseeing what children consume is the job of the parent, NOT the state.

02-12-2026

Courtney Collier

Please pass this bill to continue to improve the safety of minor children. We must protect minors when it comes to exposure to adult media content that includes sex acts. Children who are exposed to this content as minors are much more likely to be groomed for sexual exploitation.

02-12-2026

Julianne Couch

Please vote no on this bill. Allow children, and their parents, to learn for themselves what reading material is of value to them, and what is not. Librarians are not law enforcement officers. The written word has been the underpining of centuries of civilization. Don't make reading a crime. Thank you.

02-12-2026

Kathryn Kueter

Thank you for bringing this bill forward! Please pass this bill to protect children in Iowa from accessing pornographic/sexually explicit material in our libraries (our tax payer funded libraries). As a mother I have had first hand experience of graphic sexually explicit books being at my childs level at our local library. This is unacceptable.

02-12-2026

Michael Maxwell

How exhausting is it to yet again find ourselves in a position where we must explain to our zealot lawmakers who act in bad faith that imposing cultural genocide on LGBTQ+ Iowans is bad? The entire premise of this bill and every other antiLibrary, but really antiLGBTQ+, bill the same people bring forward over and over again is false. You think children who have access to the entire internet through the phones in their pockets are going to the Library to arouse themselves with some D.H. Lawrence? Be serious. All that removing or restricting these materials does is 1) make the state everyone's parent talk about Big Brother! 2) bully queer youth/youth of diverse backgrounds by restricting their stories and thus also restricting their LIVES. It's a cosign to every one of their playground bullies. It must be ok if we bully you because the government said you're "harmful to minors". You are PATHOLOGIZING CHILDREN. Our legislators need to move on from these antiAmerican hate campaigns.

02-12-2026

Michael Maxwell

02-12-2026

Michael Maxwell

02-12-2026

David Faldet

Please vote NO on HF2309. This bill is an attempt to cage Iowas citizens by caging our librarys books. Some third graders test at the twelfthgrade reading level. Why is it state government's place to limit them to the childrens section? This bill is an insult to Iowa and its citizens and a violation of freedom of speech and conscience through government overreach. Give library boards, librarians, and library patrons the respect they deserve instead of killing them with impossible and toxic legislative mandates.

02-12-2026

Kristen Larsen-Schmidt

Please vote no on this poorly written and poorly conceived bill. It is not practical, affordable or realistic to ask libraries and staff to take on these burdensome restrictions. Nor is it healthy or wise for our state to restrict the liberties of library patrons in this manner. I strongly disagree with this bill.

02-12-2026

Karen Maass

Here I am writing a comment at 12:53. Why is this state legislators pushing bills that have such a destructive effect through so quickly? This bill will destroy my hometown library. A library for a town of 700. One I spent time in hunting for books when I was growing up. No one directed me to the correct book . I read whatever I wanted. I went from what they called remedial reading to graduating with honors from ISU and on to grad school. Why doesnt this state tackle instead the internet and how it affects our kids? Our legislators are making a problem out of something that isnt and destroying our children in the process. Definitely overreaching .

02-12-2026

MELISSA KOCH

Vote no on HF 2309. This bill is a waste of time. Have you heard of the Internet? You cant wall off books. Youre just making something kids has no interest in super interesting because youve tried to make it inaccessible. This bill is also a waste of money. Most rural libraries like ours cant afford to make these unnecessary changes. Stop the gross overreach of government control and put your energies into bills that improve Iowans lives. Think clean water, $ for public education, solving the states high cancer rates, affordable and accessible healthcare for all.

02-12-2026

Christine Garrow

As a former public librarian who worked closely with schools and families, I urge you to vote no on HF 2309.Public libraries are built on a simple principle: access to information is a fundamental right. Libraries do not force materials on anyone. Parents already have the authority to decide what their own children read. This bill shifts that choice away from individual families and places it in the hands of government mandates that affect everyone.Librarians are not ideological gatekeepers; we are connectorshelping students learn, supporting parents, and maintaining transparent review processes when concerns arise. Broad restrictions do not protect parental rights; they replace them.If we value freedom, education, and local decisionmaking, we must preserve community libraries as spaces of open access and personal choice. Please vote no on HF 2309.

02-12-2026

Brandi Saldeen

subcommittees/committees please vote NO against these three pieces of legislation that will negatively impact libraries They are threatening librarians with jail time and taking local control away from libraries and communities. We deal with this nightmare every year and its getting old.

02-12-2026

Katie Roche

Vote NO!! The obscenity exception allows educational facilities like museums, libraries, and schools, to provide access to materials for educational and artistic reasons, among other protected reasons. Removing this exception would be chaotic and extremely damaging to operations and access.

02-12-2026

Virginia Smith

This bill must not pass. This bill is an absolute waste of time. This is nothing but an excuse to defund Iowa's essential public libraries. Iowans have a right to access information. Librarians already shelve titles according to the age of the intended audience. It is up to parents to instill values in their children any parent who tries to limit the communities access to information in order to control their child's access to information is an unfit parent. It is appalling this bill was advanced to subcommittee and it needs to be voted down. Lawmakers need to focus on bills to improve water quality and Healthcare instead of pandering to the minority of ignorant bigots in the state.

02-12-2026

Patsy Martinson

Decorahs library is a community jewel. This bill would create untold financial barriers for monitoring two sides of the library. The library has not received complaints from parents. This is government overreach and is illconceived. Leave what is going so well alone. Dont invent a problem that doesnt exist. Vote no.

02-12-2026

Kathryn Fink

Please vote no on HF2309. This bill is overbroadall items marketed as adult by publishers and put in the adult section would be restricted to children, regardless of content. What about things like atlases of national parks or books about animals or plants, or a superhero encyclopedia? The requirements for review of materials and library technology system functionality would be onerous for libraries already struggling with budget cuts, not to mention the enormous cost of insurance coverage for libraries with the civil and criminal penalties included in this bill for libraries, library staff, and trustees.

02-12-2026

Angela Pilkington

Please do not advance this bill. This bill is not good for Iowa or its public libraries. Key word PUBLIC. No one is forced into going to the library. If a parent does not want their child in a library, they do not need to get them a card, they can allow or not allow their child to check out a book that they deem not appropriate. Parental choice is at stake here. Criminalizing libraries and librarians who are not the problem helps no one. Books are not the problem. Again please do not advance this bill.

02-12-2026

Erin Norwood

Vote NO on HF 2309! This bill criminalizes librarians, will essentially end public libraryespecially in rural areas, and is a true example of government overreach by eliminating parents abilities to make decisions for their children on what materials they have access to. Dont take that right away from Iowa parents. Its insulting as a parent to know that our lawmakers in Iowa would even consider something like this.

02-12-2026

Hannah McCargar

Vote no on this bill! Our libraries are a priceless public resource that serve all people and help keep kids safe and engaged. This bill threatens Iowa libraries' ability to continue serving their communities. Parents,teachers, librarians, and strong communities help kids learn to navigate a complex world. Libraries are not the problem.

02-12-2026

Dawn Pauls

I vehemently oppose this bill. Criminalizing our libraries and librarians under the guise of "protecting the children" is ludicrous. This bill would put an unwarranted and undue burden on one of our communities' greatest resources. Don't want your kid to read a book? Talk to them about it and share your values and reasoning for your decision. Vote NO on this bill.

02-12-2026

Sadye Scott-Hainchek

I oppose HF 2309. Libraries are run by trained professionals, who can *upon request* help a patron determine whether any material is the correct one for them or their child. Legislation requiring documentation on every single material is, at best, counter to the Republican talking point of small government, and at worst, an attempt to censor material and intimidate and punish educators. And contrary to the GOP claim of trying to help taxpayers, this bill will harm all of us via the pocketbook. The high costs to implement this unnecessary measure (how can it be done without overtime and pulling staff away from actual duties?) and to pay the absurd fines and damages will be passed along to taxpayers. The true harm to minors comes from this legislature's insistence on cutting any funding that helps educate and feed children not from books.

02-11-2026

Adrianne Schlapp

This idiotic, lawsuithappy bill puts an unreasonable onerous on a public service that many people depend upon. If parents are really that concerned about the materials their kids access at the library, the simplest, most costeffective solution is to ACCOMPANY their kids in the library! This bill allows parents to dump their kid off at a public library (with budgets tied to your ever reducing revenue stream) for "free" enrichment programs/daycare/babysitting and then SUE the facility when their kid sees something they don't like. So not only are you going to require guards (or build physical barriers) between the adult and children's sections (because pretty much all modern fiction/nonfiction has some kind of "sex" scene in it), you're also going to allow these negligent parents to bring law suits against the very public institution they are taking advantage of the free/public services provided.

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02-12-2026

Kristine Larson

As a public library director in Iowa, I am deeply alarmed by HF2309. The financial consequences of similar legislation passed in Idaho last year were significant, and the same would be true here. Iowa libraries, cities, and the state will face substantial and ongoing costs if this bill advances. Iowa cannot afford the financial risks tied to HF2309.HF2309 is fiscally irresponsible, represents clear governmental overreach, and infringes on the constitutional rights of every Iowan.I ask you to protect Iowa taxpayers and vote no on HF2309, Kristine Larson

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02-12-2026

Skip Dye [Penguin Random House Intellectual Freedom Taskforce]

On behalf of Penguin Random House and our Intellectual Freedom Taskforce, we strongly oppose HF 2309.This bill would criminalize librarians, eliminate the longstanding obscenity exemption for libraries, and revive a harmful to minors standard already tied to ongoing litigation. Public libraries do not stock obscene material. They curate ageappropriate, constitutionally protected works selected by trained professionals under established review policies.HF 2309 mandates permission slips and tracking of reading records, raising serious privacy concerns and conflicting with Iowas long tradition of reader confidentiality. It also imposes costly structural mandates and statedictated reconsideration procedures, stripping locally elected trustees of their authority.This legislation invites litigation, chills access to lawful materials, burdens taxpayers, and undermines local control and professional judgment.

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