Meeting Public Comments

Subcommittee meeting and times are as follows:

A bill for an act relating to public libraries, including eligibility requirements for state assistance and oversight by city councils.(See HF 2622.)

Subcommittee members: Wheeler-CH, Boden, McBurney

Date: Tuesday, February 17, 2026

Time: 8:30 AM - 8:45 AM

Location: RM 19

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

Comments Submitted:

02-16-2026

Sam Helmick

HF 720 continues a troubling pattern of state overreach into institutions that have long been governed locally. Iowas public libraries are overseen by locally appointed boards, funded by local taxpayers, and accountable to the communities they serve. When the legislature restructures taxing authority and inserts vague standards that invite political interpretation, it shifts decisionmaking away from neighbors and toward centralized power. That is not efficiency. It is not transparency. It is not local control. Libraries work because they are community institutions, not political battlegrounds. If we believe in small government and local accountability, we must trust local boards and protect their authority not weaken it.

02-16-2026

Cathy Zimmerman [Association of Boomobile and Outreach Services]

The introduction of HF 720 (and its related study bill HSB 720) signals a troubling pattern of state interference in locally governed institutions. Public libraries in Iowa currently operate under the oversight of local boards, ensuring they remain responsive to the taxpayers who fund them. This legislation threatens to undermine that accountability by transferring administrative and financial authority to centralized bodies and introducing subjective standards for "ageappropriateness" that invite political interpretation. Truly limited government requires respecting the autonomy of local boards to serve their unique communities without statelevel overreach.

02-16-2026

Cathy Zimmerman [Association of Boomobile and Outreach Services]

02-16-2026

Denise Levenhagen

Libraries in Iowa are overseen by locally appointed Boards to ensure the taxpayers in the community are represented. Libraries provide the information and services specific to the needs of those who they are accountable. Our local library receives very little funding from the state. The City and County are the main stakeholders in our community library. Local control is important in servicing our communities. Using broad and general terms to determine who can have access to materials is an unfortunate use of power. Parents have and shall continue to have the authorization over what their children have access to in libraries. This is a conversation to be held at a community level.

02-16-2026

John Kenyon

Please vote "NO" on this bill. As an Iowa parent, I do not need, nor do I want, the legislature to decide what my children can access at the library. I am perfectly capable, as a parent, of talking with my children about what they are reading. In fact, I want them to have access to everything in the library; it is my responsibility to handle things from there. As it is, there is nothing obscene in a public library. If someone in our community disagrees with something found in the library, that does not render it obscene. If someone has an issue, there are mechanisms in place including appealing to the locally selected library board and beyond that the city council where concerns can be raised. What we don't need is for the legislature to attempt to define an undefinable concept like "age appropriate" and then take away my right as a parent to allow my children to access materials that will allow them to learn more about themselves and the world around them.

02-16-2026

Jennie Garner

Vote no on HSB 720. This bill threatens First Amendment rights by restricting young peoples access to information in public libraries. In Iowa, public libraries are meant to serve entire communities by providing free and open access to ideas not limiting materials based on subjective judgments about content. Decisions about what a child reads should rest with parents and guardians, not librarians or local officials. Libraries must remain free spaces in support of access to knowledge for everyone, regardless of age, background, or viewpoint. This bill removes parental control and subjectively defines "inappropriate" which is problematic with courts nationwide. People in Iowa believe in free access to information and are against censorship. Please don't take us backward in time.

02-16-2026

Teresa Wellman

OPPOSED. As stated in the bill, appropriate means topics and messages suitable to particular ages based on developing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral capacity typical for the age. This statement is far too vague and invites far too much subjectivity. It is parental responsibility to understand and know what their children are reading.Additionally, this bill shifts the responsibility and control of the public library onto city councils. This is not their city councils job, and puts too much onus on individuals with little to no expertise in either library science or child development.Im not surprised that the bill hones in specifically preventing any material that would show a sexual act. This is exactly how pedophiles are protected, by disarming young people of the knowledge they need to recognize and call out what is done to them. The IA GOP is working overtime to shroud our children and keep them defenseless. Shame on you all!

02-16-2026

Charity Tyler

Vote NO on this bill. It is an extreme overreach of state power, usurping local control and insulting the public, your constituents, who value their public libraries. They are public libraries because they exist for the people, ALL people. This bill doesn't solve any issues; it creates chaos by leaving vague language that undermines existing law and opens libraries and municipalities to frivolous law suits and moves the oversight from an independent board to untrained elected officials. Vote NO on HSB720

02-16-2026

Ann Tigges

Opposed!Please oppose this bill. Parents should be the ones to determine what is considered age appropriate for their child and not the State of Iowa. Children also have the right to access information in a safe environment, which is what libraries provide taking that away will not prevent children from seeking the information but it could lead them to try to access similar info from unvetted/unsafe sources. Children will always find a way to obtain age appropriate information, lets make sure they can access it in a safe environment.

02-16-2026

Jillian Aschliman

I am writing in strong opposition of HSB 720. Library boards have independent governing authority to protect our first amendment, so government cannot control what information citizens can cannot have access to. Passing laws such as this creates a loophole that *any* political party can abuse for their own agenda. If a parent doesnt want their child to access certain materials or topics in their reading materials, then it is up to families to monitor what their children are reading. If a community has concerns with how their library or library board is operating, there are already mechanisms in place to address those issues at the local level. Stop government overreach and let communities keep their local control.

02-16-2026

Martin Lemke

First, the bill imposes contentbased restrictions on what minors may access in public libraries. Under the First Amendment, young people have a constitutional right to receive information. Courts have repeatedly held that the government may not suppress ideas simply because some find them controversial or uncomfortable. When the state restricts access to books based on topics and messages, it regulates speech, and contentbased regulations face the highest level of constitutional scrutiny.Second, the bills definition of ageappropriate is vague and subjective.This bill is poorly written.

02-16-2026

Emma Stoffer

HSB 720 is a bill that serves no purpose other than to do harm. City and county leaders already collaborate extensively with their Library Boards and Library Directors. Boards are composed of local individuals, appointed by the city, who receive unique training and expertise related to library functions and services. These are individuals who have passion for their public libraries and who demonstrate dedication to their communities through the continued advocacy for these libraries. HSB 720 ignores the fact that elected county officials also have a say in their public libraries. Rural Iowans do not elect their city councils, and yet you would subject the entirety of their library services to the decisions of people they do not elect. Library Boards address this concern as they have a specific role for a county representative who is appointed by the County Supervisor, not the mayor. This ensures that all library patrons patrons and users are given a voice.

02-16-2026

Michael Wright

Please kill this bill. In its current form. It contains vague language offering no legal standard. It also creates legal risk for the state by making funding dependent on compliance which would restrict First Amendment rights. Finally, shifting review authority to city council threatens to politicize decision making. The entire bill is a solution in search of a problem. Please vote against HSB 720.

02-16-2026

Zach Row-Heyveld

Please vote no on HSB 720. It will force libraries across the state to EITHER serve children or adults, because the language in the bill will prevent most libraries from serving both. Library boards are made up of nonpartisan community members who volunteer their time to make sure that libraries are serving every member of the community equally. Currently, if city councils or citizens don't like the way their libraries are being managed, then they are welcome to change the governance of the library with voter's approval. Why are you removing the ability for voters to have a say in how their local libraries are managed? How does this benefit anyone? Please focus on legislation that will actually improve the lives of the people you serve.

02-16-2026

marilyn southard

Please vote NO on HSB 720. Putting all library oversight onto city councils and eliminating the ability for voters to approve or deny changes as to how the library is governed is a BAD IDEA. This would add a significant burden on city councils workload without any clear benefit to taxpayers or library users. Library boards are composed of educators, librarians, finance professionals, and very dedicated library users. Their expertise is related to specific areas of oversight of the library.

02-16-2026

Andrea Beckendorf

I am a constituent in Decorah, where we have a thriving public library. Bills and laws such as this continue to impact the quality of life in the state, and are driving people away. From the Iowa Democratic party website (August 2025): "The evidence of Iowas weakening economy continues to grow. Iowa ranks 49th in economic growth, and the U.S. growing agricultural trade deficit is helping Iowas own struggling ag industry. Iowa is also 48th in personal income growth, and Iowans are taking on medical debt faster than any other state." The continued efforts to curtail the work of libraries who serve the ENTIRE community only serves to further disadvantage Iowans. Libraries support so much more than "fun things to read," and are certainly a foundation for personal growth and development, which are factors in job satisfaction and quality of life. Libraries are ESSENTIAL to the community, and deserve to have qualified, dedicated library boards that govern their work.

02-16-2026

Carole Daughton

I do not support any of bills concerning our libraries. I believe they should continue to be governed by our local library board. Concerning keeping kids out of the adult section. Do you realize how unnecessary that is??? Kids have far more access to whatever this bill is trying to control. I can't imagine kids raffling around in our adult section. Please stop trying to control our libraries and put your energies where it is needed...like clean water.

02-16-2026

Rebecca Wiese

I favor local library control. Who knows better than the Library Board to whom the Librarian reports to, the needs and solutions of the Library. I don't favor turning Library Staff job into that of a police person who monitors certain age groups from accessing certain areas of the library. That is the job of a parent. Curiosity to access information is not a bad thing.

02-16-2026

Ramona Nelson

Please vote no on HSB 720. This is an overreach on local control and an attempt to add burdens to city council while denying communities to manage their libraries with volunteers serving the Library Board. The imposition of age appropriate sections suggests parents are not responsible for monitoring and/or helping their children select books and media material. Parent choice has been a repeated theme as the legislative actions shifted taxpayer dollars to private schools. Be consistent and allow parent choice in teaching children and the community to support the selection of library materials. This bill as written imposes undue burdens on well functioning public libraries.

02-16-2026

Marion Pruitt Jefferson

HSB 720 is a bill which will harm public access to information through our local libraries. It will unduly burden librarians who would have to censor materials, as well as act as "bouncers" in the adult section of the library. This bill will do nothing to protect young people from getting information that they want to have. Even young kids are very skilled at finding information about "adult" matters online. HSB 720 is a deeply troubling attempt to control information and restrain access to information. This bill should not even make it to the floor.

02-16-2026

Briana Smorstad

Vote no on this bill. Having library boards gives voters voice on how their local library operates. Preventing minors from accessing the section of the library with books intended for adults is impractical, government overreach, and isn't solving a real issue. This would greatly hamper libraries. I remember as the child of a single mother going to the adult section with her many times when she was looking for books for herself. I was also an avid reader as a child who read books from the adult section because that was my reading level. The State Government has no place to prevent people under 18 from accessing the adult books. It is government oversight to try and control what people have access to reading. Threatening to withold tax dollars from libraries that violate "age appropriate" policies is a direct attack on democracy, Iowa communities, and education.

02-16-2026

Mariah McCain

"HSB 720 would place all library oversight onto city councils and eliminate the ability for voters to approve or deny changes to how the library is governed"Local government is best served when local voices are represented and present at the table. Vote No to HSB 720 and protect our libraries!

02-16-2026

MELISSA O'ROURKE

STOP the HARM to our PUBLIC libraries? Parent should supervise their own children! The BIBLE includes multiple references to sex acts. Do you really have nothing else to do, no other problems to solve in Iowa? The OUTLANDER series by author Diana Gabaldon have been read by millions all over the world who have they harmed? Books by the historical fiction author Larry McMurtry (like Lonesome Dove won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction) these describe sex acts. So what? Just BAN all under18s from the Library? Iowa has polluted water, eroding soils, unaffordable housing, high cancer rates, terrible roads; and we're sending millions of our dollars to unaccountable nonpublic schools which our public schools are underfunded but the legislature wastes time worrying about materials in our marvelous public libraries. Just STOP. Try to accomplish something that will actually benefit Iowans.

02-16-2026

Carmen Buss

Note no on HSB720. This bill is nothing more than a political move to control and close our public libraries. Iowa is already struggling with lowering educational outcomes for our children. Iowa suffers from serious environmental issues related to large corporate farming and concentrated animal feeding operations. Our cancer rates are high and increasing. Surely our state government officials have more pressing concerns than attacking our public libraries.

02-16-2026

Susan Mellecker

I second these excellent comments from Charity Tyler:"Vote NO on this bill. It is an extreme overreach of state power, usurping local control and insulting the public, your constituents, who value their public libraries. They are public libraries because they exist for the people, ALL people. This bill doesn't solve any issues; it creates chaos by leaving vague language that undermines existing law and opens libraries and municipalities to frivolous law suits and moves the oversight from an independent board to untrained elected officials. Vote NO on HSB720"

02-16-2026

Lezlie Barry [Maynard Community Library]

Please vote no! The library board is a group of volunteer members that advocate for the library. They focus on the well being of the library. The city council does not need to have authority over the funding. They have to oversee other departments of the city.

02-16-2026

Barbara and Jim Dale

In our more than 80 years we have valued every library we have used and never had a problem with any of them. No member of any community we've been part of has expressed dissatisfaction with their public library or complained that they were irresponsible.So what problem do you wish to solve with this legislation?We believe it would create many problems. People need access to information. Every person has an individual opinion or conviction as to what information is harmful and at what age. Parents who worry about material their children might have access to can easily prevent potential harm and/or discuss books with their children in order to lead them to values of which they approve. Library personnel would be vulnerable to abuse.Censorship always creates temptation to know what has been withheld, creating greater markets for anything someone is hiding. And in this day of the internet, anyone who wants to find it has little trouble doing so.Please respect us citizens.

02-16-2026

M. Bowler

Please vote NO on HSB 720. Our public library is a cornerstone of this community, serving families every day. This bill will not protect children. It will harm them by forcing libraries into costly, unnecessary government overreach that undermines their ability to operate and serve the public.

02-16-2026

Genevieve "Gigi" Nelson [ALTA PUBLIC LIBRARY]

This is a bad bill. Someone who never uses their own public library, who doesn't understand how great Iowa Libraries are for small, rural communities, has introduced this terrible idea to waste everyone's time. VOTE NO! NO! NO!

02-16-2026

Benjamin Nichols

Dear Legislators HSB 720 is a piece of legislation that does not need to exist. Please leave this bill to die where it sits, as Public Libraries across Iowa are currently exemplary places that offer patrons of every age valuable and appropriate offerings. We do not need the legislature to be spending time on this issue please go spend time fixing real issues and problems in Iowa and let our Libraries continue operating with local board oversights. No to HSB 720.

02-16-2026

Beth Donohue

I am OPPOSED to this bill! Iowa's phenomenal public libraries are under attack yet again by pointless legislation looking for a problem. Our libraries are governed by library trustees appointed by the city, and this system works! All this bill does is put more of a burden on city councils while forcing libraries to choose to serve either children or adults, not both. Iowa has so many actual problems our water quality, soil health, infrastructure, cost of insurance and taxes, drowning medical system and underfunded public schools; please concentrate on those issues!

02-16-2026

Sarah Voels

Strongly opposed. HSB720 removes local control of libraries who have professionals doing important work for communities, ties up city councils with work they do not have time or training for, and is a waste of resources. Let our libraries be.

02-16-2026

Rita Friest

This is perhaps the most ridiculous idea (other than poor funding for public schools) to date. Sounds like Hitler has come to the State House. Our libraries are essential parts of communities and have served us well for decades. Please just let this bill die.

02-16-2026

Kerry Vande Kieft

I oppose HSB 720. Parents already have options for monitoring what materials their children are accessing. Libraries already have boards, appointed and approved by their local government, who help establish library policies and governance. This bill is unnecessary and is trying to solve a problem that doesnt exist.

02-16-2026

Paula Grimm [Spencer Public Library]

Miller Test is the legal standard for obscenity. These determinations are not contentneutral, and will impact access to materials which are notobscene, and to which access should be protectedAge appropriateness is not one size fits all libraries already arrange collections in contentneutral ways that facilitate readers accessing materials for that particular audienceThis requires libraries to make determinations on potentially complex custodial arrangements and retain information about nonusers, which requires libraries to assume responsibility for people we do not have a contractual relationship with, placing libraries at greater legal riskCity Councils and administrations do not desire this additional responsibility. This removes local control from each municipality to determine the governance that best fits their communityIt would be extremely costly to review every item in collections which often span hundreds of thousands of items.

02-16-2026

Susan Luzum

Public libraries are set up to serve the public, not some political agenda. Public Libraries were set up to let the public have access to knowledge, not to police that knowledge and the users. The current system of a library board answerable to city government seems to be working, so why change it? Do you have any instances of the current system harming anybody? People complain about too much government in their lives, and this bill would only cause more government.

02-16-2026

Virginia Smith

Opposed you must vote no. In reviewing the public comments this bill lacks public support and rightfully so. It is an attack on our essential public libraries. Stop wasting time on culture war bills leave parents to determine what information and stories their children can access. Please kill this bill and focus on passing bills to improve our state. After that please support your local library and ask your librarian for some recommendations.

02-16-2026

Maryna Nading

I am writing to strongly OPPOSE the proposed HSB 720. Library boards are civil society examples at its best. Libraries are some of the last remaining public spaces where people do not need to pay money in order to socialize and educate themselves. It is essential that this democratic institution does not become subject to politics. Vote NO on this bill. The US is a democracy, we do not need being told what to read and what to think by those in power.

02-16-2026

Melissa Kane [Cascade Public Library]

Librarians work very hard to make sure that there are books for all readers in the library. We often guide readers and parents to things that are appropriate for the reader. I have had parent's ask me if I thought a material was appropriate for a reader and I will assist them in finding the right thing for their child. There is no perfect one size fits all definition of "obscenity". I once made a joke about someone wanting to remove the Little Mermaid, and was corrected that it is no joke. A parent had requested its removal at another library, as it contains kissing, and promotes teen marriage. There is no practical way for libraries to review every item purchased. Additionally, this act could place cities at great legal risk.Thank you for considering my comments.

02-16-2026

Molly Cormaney

This bill is unnecessary and dangerous. Please vote against this bill. Parents have every right to police what their children read; they do not have the right to police what other children read. Librarians and library boards are not parents and they are not responsible for ensuring that materials do not get into the "wrong" hands. Parents seem to want to be absolved of responsibility, yet they want everyone else to follow their rules. The library is for everyonekeep open access for everyone!

02-16-2026

Allie Scott

This bill is completely unnecessary, as our library is already governed by a board appointed by local government and so accountable to the community. I value local control and this bill is a gross overreach of government that demonstrates a lack of trust in our local communities.

02-16-2026

Julia Sollien

As someone who uses our local library and sees how much it strengthens our community, Im concerned about the local impact of HSB 720.I oppose this bill because it weakens local governance, creates costly mandates, and risks limiting access to essential public services. Volunteer library boards provide expertise, financial oversight, and accountability to the community; eliminating them shifts significant responsibility to city councils without improving outcomes.The bills under18 access provisions would also force libraries into impractical and expensive operational changes, pulling resources away from literacy, education, and community programming.I urge you to oppose HSB 720 and instead support approaches that preserve local control, fiscal responsibility, and access for Iowa communities like mine.

02-16-2026

Mindwell Egeland

Vote no for HSB 720Please consider the procedures and policies that are the foundation of our libraries and already are in place to provide strict structure for material selection and display in all libraries.Years of specialized study and experience provide the librarians with expertise on administering patron age appropriate policies, allowing parental restrictions for youth, and arrangement of collections and materials to address concerns.Please allow librarians to continue to administer library policies and not be subject to micromanagement of selection and restrictions on funding.

02-16-2026

Chamoni DeLong

I am vehemently opposed to HSB 720 and strongly urge you to please vote "NO". Our public libraries are intended for use by everyone and do not have the necessary resources to monitor what materials patrons peruse prior to checking them out. This proposed legislation would prove especially harmful in our rural areas where resources are already limited. Thank you for your consideration.

02-16-2026

Karen McLean

Please vote "No". Shouldn't cities decide if they want the City Council to oversee the Library as opposed to a Library Board? Our current system works just fine in Decorah with an independent Library Board. If this bill is passed it would cause undue financial pressure on our local library. We would be required to either A) Remove the entire adult collection and only serve people under the age of 18, B) Remove the entire childrens collection and prevent anyone under the age of 18 from entering the building or C)Spend over $100,000 to enclose the historic side of the building and spend over $70,000 annually to pay staff to act as bouncers to prevent anyone under 18 from entering the historic side of the building where the collections for adults are shelved. All of these alternatives would detract from our current library services. Please let LOCALS control LOCAL public libraries!

02-16-2026

Gordie Felger

STRONGLY OPPOSE! The Iowa Legislature should NOT be in the business of setting library standards. How many legislators have a master's degree in library sciences? Not sure if you are a qualified librarian? Here are the requirements for becoming a librarian in Iowa: "Accredited MLIS and additional requirements depending on the level.Renewal: 45 contact hours during certification." If you are not willing to complete the requirement, then stay out of library business! Leave it to the professionals!

02-16-2026

Bruce Nesmith

I write in opposition to HSB 720. It seems to be a solution in search of a problem, which is never a good sign for state legislatures that have real problems to address. The importance of public libraries to communities cannot be overstated, yet it is difficult to see how adding a layer of supervision to library boards will improve any library's performance. Is what we're worried about that some people in Iowa City are reading immoral books? Rushing in with mandates and threats of funding cutoffs statewide in hopes of straightening out the Iowa City people is going to create more costs than benefits.The main thing this bill would do is add more state mandates to localities that are capable in most cases of governing themselves.

02-16-2026

Crystal Duffy

We already have systems in place to allow the VOTERS to choose if they want a city council to take over a library. Library boards are trained. City council members DO NOT want more responsibility. Parents should be accompanying THEIR children to libraries, not expecting the state to be a nanny. This is government overreach.

02-16-2026

Trevor Krug

I strongly oppose this ill conceived omnibus of terrible state government overreach. Public libraries function efficiently and ethically in ways that those who have submitted this bill do not seem willing to take the time to understand. On the matter of "age appropriateness for minors:" the Miller test is the current legal standard for obscenity. This bill targets materials that a certain loud majority find personally objectionable, and they would seek to foist their own personal standards on the whole state. This action will deprive Iowans access to works of incredible artistic value. On the matter of preserving the library board's jurisdiction: plain and simple, city councils do not want this increase in their workload. City council members in Waverly have explicitly stated as much. Further, library board members are appointed and approved by elected city officials already. The sheer volume of garbage in this bill should merit more than 1000 characters of public comment, by the way.

02-16-2026

Jess Netolicky

This bill does not fix libraries it creates new risks for city governments and taxpayers. The "ageappropriate standard is vague and unenforceable. It invites lawsuits and inconsistent enforcement in communities of all sizes that lack the resources to comply. Tying funding to content restrictions creates financial instability and puts cities at risk of losing state and local support over minor disputes. This is not fiscal responsibility. Libraries already have policies for collection development and parental oversight. Librarians are already making decisions about collections based on ageappropriateness. HSB 720 would replace professional training, experience, and knowledge with political oversight. This bill is a solution in search of a problem that does not exist. HSB 720 bill should be rejected.

02-16-2026

Jade Hart

Vote NO for this harmful bill that overrides our 1st Amendment and parental rights. Our state government should not be defining what our children are allowed to read. Our libraries, librarians, and governing boards are doing a fine job of providing needed, ageappropriate resources for families. Leave them alone! Placing library governance in the hands of city councils would be destructive and onerous for everyone involved.

02-16-2026

Lauren Bonney

Please vote NO on this bill! Let parents make choices for their kids, and let library boards make the decisions for the library.This bill puts undue strain on library staff and on taxpayers. Local government is already busy with many important issues and they should not take the place of library boards. Library boards are a cross section of the community and are civic minded individuals that we should continue to trust.This bill also undermines the basic faith that exists in a healthy relationship between parent and child where there is trust and open communication. Parents have the responsibility of judging when their children are prepared for a greater understanding of the world and can read books that give them perspective. Vote NO on this bill.

02-16-2026

Sally Oakes Edman

Please vote no to HSB 720. City councils do not need more work to do, and the library boards are invested and effectively. Let parents make decisions for their children, and let the community shape its library. This is a solution that would only create problems. Oppose this bill.

02-16-2026

Sarah Miller-Jacobs

Opposed! This is a poorly written bill that takes away library resources from parents, taxpayers and families. Local control of libraries is the way forward. Coupling state assistance to libraries to report to city councils is to create politically motivated decisions in a nonpartisan entity. Libraries are for EVERYONE! Please vote NO!

02-16-2026

Lillian Grouws

Do not pass this bill. It is incredibly concerning to see the state try to remove local control over our public library boards. Paired with the other library bills introduced this session, it leads me to believe you wish to create a climate of censorship and fear in our state. The public is clearly opposed to your actions, yet you continue to ignore us. Remember who you work for and vote no.

02-16-2026

Katherine Young

Please vote no for HSB 720. Libraries are critical local infrastructure in their communities, whether urban, suburban or rural. Restricting access for any population to their library will only result in an electorate that is less literate and less likely to participate in civic life, less likely to contribute to a healthy economy in Iowa.

02-16-2026

Susan McDermott

PLEASE vote NO for HSB 720 Parents, not the state, should be the ones determining what is appropriate for their children. Our libraries are currently governed by trustees who represent the community and provide oversight on behalf of our community. We have professionals who develope collections and programing. This bill is completely unneeded.

02-16-2026

Ivy Riggs

I am writing to request a No vote on this legislation. As a taxpayer, a parent, and a grandparent, I believe our local library board does an excellent job in keeping our libraries highly responsive & answerable to our community needs. Trying to assign their work to a different body with no particular knowledge of nor interest in how our libraries work is a disservice to all concerned.

02-16-2026

Barb Phillips

Local control means trusting communities to manage their own institutions through the structures theyve established not mandating a onesizefitsall mandate from Des Moines. HSB 720 removes flexibility, weakens communitybased governance, and disrupts a system that has long worked for Iowa towns. For generations, Iowas public libraries have been governed by locally appointed library boards made up of community members who understand their towns unique needs. VOTE NO.

02-16-2026

Nathan Countryman

These bills are a slap in the face to parental rights and oversight of what their children have access to and what is okay in their homes. The government has no right in limiting local control this blatantly, either. We the people elect councils to appoint members to sit on library boards to decide what is right for our communities, not some Orwellian outsiders who haven't cracked a book without getting a case of the vapors.Waste your time on bills that actually help Iowans, like water quality.

02-16-2026

Cathy Watson

This bill makes me so sad. Libraries have had such huge impact on lives for literally generations!That the State of Iowa would try to decrease and control them is not the Iowa I've lived in for 77 years. I certainly wouldn't move here were I younger,Iowa is attempting to have too much control over cultural issues.

02-16-2026

Erin Coughlin

This bill is combining all the worst elements of the bad bills being written that target public libraries as the enemy. Iowa has a long history of amazing public libraries with the most public libraries per capita and the Library Bill of Rights being written in Des Moines. Local control is crucial as all communities are different and have different needs. Age appropriate materials for minors should be determined by the parents of those minors not the Iowa legislature. Age appropriate is not onesize fits all so it must be up to the parents to determine what is appropriate for their own children. The Miller Test already determines what is obscene and there is no library in Iowa that has obscene materials based on legal standards. Withholding local tax funding if public libraries adhere to legal precedent is ridiculous. City Councils have control over libraries through the governing library boards they appoint. This removes that local control. Vote NO on HSB 720!

02-16-2026

Robert Fiedler

Please vote No on advancing this legislation. This bill will cost taxpayers more, not less. It will hurt the communities that libraries serve. It will create unworkable mandates for library staff. And it will undermine local control. We should be doing the exact opposite of what this legislation proposes. We should protect local governance; library boards provide nonpartisan, community focused oversight and we should preserve their authority rather than transfer it to city councils. We should keep kids connected to libraries; don't sever schoollibrary partnerships that serve Iowa's most vulnerable children. Strengthen these connections instead. We shouldn't be trying to put Librarians in jail; we should be able to serve our communities without fear of prosecution.

02-16-2026

Sarah Latcham [None]

Please vote no on this bill. It is taking local control away from public library boards, as well as forcing already strapped libraries incur unneeded expenses. Parents should be the adult overseeing what a child is reading. This is an overreach of government that is unnecessary and undermines what libraries stand for.

02-16-2026

Doris Huinker [N/A]

Please do not approve this bill to be introduced to legislation. The libraries are just great the way they are. This bill would certainly not improved the funding they receive or how it is handled. It is certainly not the governments job to regulate what people read and not the librarians job to monitor who looks at which books.

02-16-2026

Nicole Weber

Vote NO on this bill! Keep local control of public libraries in the hands of Library Boards not the City Council who doesnt understand the intricacies of libraries and who have no desire or time to take this on. Library Boards members are already appointed by the Mayor.

02-16-2026

Stacy Volmer

I strongly oppose House Study Bill 720. This bill replaces professional library governance with political control and invites censorship through a vague, subjective definition of ageappropriate. Threatening to withhold state funding unless libraries comply is coercive and will pressure communities into banning books.Transferring authority from independent library boards to city councils politicizes decisions that should be made by trained librarians. Requiring review of all materials is unworkable and designed to chill access, especially for teens seeking information about health, identity, or difficult life issues.The bill also weakens patron privacy by allowing parental access to minors borrowing records, undermining intellectual freedom.Public libraries serve everyone. This legislation threatens funding, privacy, and local control in the name of censorship. It should be rejected.

02-16-2026

Monica Basile

Please vote NO on this bill. It is not the government's place to decide who can have access to what materials. This bill represents a dangerous misuse of power and an attack on libraries, which provide invaluable resources to our communities.

02-16-2026

Kennedy LaVille Thoren

I am writing to express opposition to HSB 720 and to urge you to consider the significant legal, financial, and governance implications this bill would create for Iowas public libraries and municipalities.PROTECT OUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES!

02-16-2026

Karissa Shaffer

OPPOSE. Please vote NO on HSB 720 for so many reasons that should be obvious to any sane person in 2026. This would be complete government overreach. All age appropriate mandates should be removed. Parents should be the only ones to decide what is considered age appropriate for their child, not government officials. This also would infringe on first amendment rights. These types of bills dont solve anything, other than to create chaos. This bill and bills like them are only creating issues that never even existed. Please remember that our government officials are supposed to work for us, the people of Iowa, majority of Iowans are sick of the GOP trying to control us and consistently infringing on our rights. Personal religious beliefs have NO business being involved in government decisions. OPPOSE this bill.

02-16-2026

Amanda Brewer

Public libraries are essential services to our communities. Would you eliminate public safety services? Public libraries provide the same basic level essential services. Do not let extreme conservative groups mislead you about what public libraries do. Visit us, see the millions of Iowan's who need us. Tell parents to do their job, its not the govenerments job to parent kids. Please protect American's rights. Iowa used to be a state that was supportive of our rights, stop taking them away from us.

02-16-2026

Lisa Johnson

Vote No! It is important to recognize that public libraries are institutions subject to ongoing public & professional oversight. There are checks and balances in place. Concerns about individual materials are addressed through established review procedures that involve librarians, and community representatives, and are generally resolved satisfactorily given that model. Families hold values and beliefs that differ, even within Sioux County. They rely on the flexibility of our current library systems to make choices aligned with their own household standards. Parental involvement, designated collections, and guided assistance together support families and individuals in these needs. Public libraries continue to provide the same trusted, supportive and safe learning environments they historically have. The difference of experience arises not in library collections, nor librarians, but from influences outside the library, such as peers, the broader culture, and the online environment.

02-16-2026

Janene Krug

I strongly oppose HB 720. it is not the government's job to restrict access to public library resources. Parents, not the government, should guide their children's decisions on what to read. Public libraries strengthen their communities by providing literacy development and educational programs. Trained professionals work hard to create collections that meet the needs of their communities. There are already policies and procedures in place to address collection development and to address material reconsiderations. Please don't let the negative experience of a few change how libraries are governed for all. Library boards are already approved and appointed by the city council and mayor. They are highly trained and are seeking to work together with library staff to provide the best library services they can in their communities.

02-16-2026

Joyce Mertens

Please vote no on bill HSB 720. Public libraries have been overseen by their library boards for years. This works and there is no need for the City Councils to supervise libraries. As a library board member for over 40 years on 3 different boards I have watched the process in place work. Parents supervise what books their children take out, the librarian watches children in the library, provide programs for them and the Library Board supervises the library budget and policies. A public library levels the playing field for those that cant afford a computer, internet or books. Please quit interfering with what has worked for decades.

02-16-2026

Jessica Musil

VOTE NO. This is wildly unnecessary and farreaching. It's very clear to everyone that this legislation is meant to destroy libraries. Library boards are appointed to create policies so the library is responsive to their community. Library boards are appointed to prevent politicizing books, adding a layer between the board and City Council. Parents should be responsible for their children. If you take a moment to think about how this will impact libraries, it will close small, rural libraries. It will waste taxpayer dollars to rework how a library functions staff time, building modification, and collection updates. Stop attacking libraries!

02-16-2026

Hayley Jackson

I strongly oppose this bill, which is attempting to move the control of public libraries from library boards to local governments under the guise of "local control." Library board representatives *are* local control they are appointed and then confirmed by dulyelected members of the local government. This is the procedure for other boards in counties and cities. Library board members are valuable to a community as they are wellversed in the work of libraries, have routine conversations with staff, and understand how libraries work and integrate with their community. Taking library administration from them and adding it to the very long list of work already done by local city councils is no way to improve or better library services. Please do not support this obvious government overreach.

02-16-2026

Elizabeth Estling

DO NOT PASS Libraries already have mechanisms in place and this would remove library independence and give city government more power but also more work. This is a solution in search of a problem this is a clear attempt to ruin libraries and free services for Iowans.

02-16-2026

Katie Dodge Hanson

02-16-2026

Jennifer Delperdang

VOTE NO on this bill. This bill will destroy public libraries in the State of Iowa. Libraries should not be controlled by political winds of city councils. As you undoubtedly are hearing from citizens of all ages across our state, they do not want the legislature to focus on this. Iowans want legislators to focus on those things that will improve our health and wellbeing, increase economic impact, and create opportunities for our residents. Your residents do not want you to create more barriers, more unnecessary and costly litigation, more problems. This bill only creates problems. In no way will Iowans benefit from this bill. VOTE NO.

02-16-2026

Stacey Colledge Skelton

This bill adds additional administrative burden on both the city and the library board and staff. It is antithetical to the philosophy of small government in our public services. The burden should not be placed upon public servants to monitor and police the activities of their patrons. Libraries need to remain safe nonpartisan places for education, community building and service.

02-16-2026

Barbara Shultz

Please vote no on HSB720. A small minority of people are trying to limit library access for all. The vast majority of citizens love their libraries and appreciate the services they provide. Libraries are the great equalizers providing reading materials to all.

02-16-2026

Weston Krug

Libraries are central to the freedom our country stands for. Freedom of information is central to what libraries stand for. There is no need for this pointless bureaucracy that only serves to allow the opinions of a few to limit the freedom of information for all. I want to live in a state that allows children to be able to engage in different viewpoints and expand their worldview through reading. If there are parents who have problems with what can be checked out in libraries, it is their right to not engage with such content. It is not their place to impose bans or oversight on libraries (which already have such guidelines and oversight!). This bill is frustrating and is not indicative of the state I am proud to live in, which used to value education and its children's futures. Please vote no on this bill!

02-16-2026

Madigan Bassman

This is government overreach and will greatly hurt Iowas incredible public libraries who show up for Iowans in many different ways. As a lifelong Iowan and someone who gained so much from libraries from childhood and beyond, please vote no.

02-16-2026

Renate Bernstein

Vote NO on this bill. It is an extreme overreach of state power, usurping local control and insulting the public, your constituents, who value their public libraries. They are public libraries because they exist for the people, ALL people. Public libraries in Iowa currently operate under the oversight of local boards, ensuring they remain responsive to the taxpayers who fund them. This legislation threatens to undermine that accountability by transferring administrative and financial authority to centralized bodies. This bill doesn't solve any issues; it creates chaos by leaving vague language that undermines existing law and opens libraries and municipalities to frivolous lawsuits. Vote NO on HSB 720.

02-16-2026

Susan Olesen [Retired]

I am quite surprised that the Republican Party is so distrustful of the constituents they represent. We have a wonderful library in Greenfield that is heavily used by children and adults. Our librarian works many hours each week and she has plenty to do. She organizes volunteers, keeps the library in order, make sure the collection is uptodate, helps adults and children find books to read that they will enjoy. She plans activities for library users like book clubs, storytimes, and more. The city council has plenty to do and running the library is the last thing they need to do since the librarian goes to most city council meetings and answers any questions they have. Im 76 years old and Ive never seen state government so distrustful of local citizens. Why dont you work on things that are broken? Public libraries certainly are not.

02-16-2026

Cory Schweigel-Skeers

Please vote no, and leave choice and oversight to parents, professionals, and local boards. This bill and those like it are an overreach of centralized power, and include nearimpossible requirements that will lead only to wasted money and limited (or completely removed) access to community members.Make the right choice to serve your constituents and vote no.

02-16-2026

Colleen Wetli

Please do not let HSB 720 go any further. Libraries have a dedicated volunteer but voted board to make local decisions regarding each city's library. City councils do not have the time, motivation, interest, or experience to direct the library and its programming. Also, please use common sense and do NOT make this idea of keeping all under 18 year olds 'OUT' of the adult book section. Babies/toddlers cannot go with their parents into a section that has books for adults so a parent can grab a book??!! Will all libraries have to get rid of all children's books and be an adult only library or an only children's library? Or will libraries have to build walls and doors in their (many older) libraries and pay for a staff member to monitor who goes into which section. This is not common sense. This is not having individuals or parents be responsible. Please do not waste time on this. There are much more important issues to focus on!!!!

02-16-2026

Adrianne Schlapp

Vote NO on this bill. A lot of verbiage to say that Big Government yet again wants to dictate was is appropriate and inappropriate. "ageappropriate means topics and messages suitable to particular ages based on developing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral capacity typical for the age." Who decides or defines any of these criteria? If parents are concerned with the materials their children are accessing at the library, the answer is simple and totally cost and lawsuitfree: accompany your child, supervise your child, parent your child. As someone who worked my way through college at a University library, I cannot believe that these antilibrary bills are even being considered not in the home of the Iowa Assessment Test! What do you want Iowa to be known for? Censorship and frivolous lawsuits? Please vote NO.

02-16-2026

Katharyn Bine [Self]

I oppose this bill as it creates problems.Parents ought to be able to control what their child reads, hears, or watches. That's not the job of librarians. Libraries have ageappropriate books in special sections. Libraries are not meant to be child care facilities.The state limiting what I can check out from a public library because parents are unwilling to parent is not fair to adults.If you don't want your child to see adult content on Hoopla, then use the parental controls within Hoopla (look under the gear, then set up a PIN), or don't get the child a library card, or don't provide a digital device that will run Hoopla.In the end, the problems that this bill attempts to address do not need a bill to resolve.

02-16-2026

Tina Hertel [Pella Public Library]

From the Declaration of Independence to the Constitution, our founders understood that liberty depends on access to knowledge. Franklin founded a library because he believed informed citizens strengthen democracy. Jeffersons books became the foundation of the Library of Congress. Adams wrote that liberty cannot be preserved without general knowledge among the people. Public libraries carry forward that vision, ensuring everyone can learn and grow. The Library Bill of Rights originated here in Iowa. Another legacy embodied in here: Andrew Carnegie funded over 1600 libraries, many here in Iowa, because access to books changed his life as a poor immigrant boy. Free libraries were ladders of opportunity, allowing any person, regardless of circumstance, to learn and rise. We the People affirms shared responsibility for liberty. In that spirit, Iowas locally governed libraries protect intellectual freedom, privacy, and access to knowledge. I respectfully oppose HSB 720.

02-16-2026

Taberie Van Boening

Oppose this bill. Its abhorrent to even believe we would consider limiting access to education! This would only disenfranchise those already the most at risk, and there are absolutely no benefits. Spend tax payers money more wisely, and stop moving this forward! Dont allow yourself to be on the wrong side of history this feels eerily similar to book burning in Germany in the 1930s.

02-16-2026

H Pedelty

Commenting again. Lifelong Iowan. I still remember checking out books from my school library in elementary. Getting my first public library card to my home town, Eldora, public library. Chose to serve users as a librarian and connect them with informational resources they need. This bill puts all that in jeoparday. Trust parents to parent and make those decisions on a family level. As a state, we do not need nor should we dictate this.Kind Considerations,H J Pedelty

02-16-2026

Carmen Golay [Lansing Library]

Strongly opposed to HSB 720. Our library boards do a great job at oversight. They donate their time, energy and expertise and city governments do NOT need another thing to do. Additionally, physical separation of collections in small and rural libraries is not possible on our budgets and space constraints. Many of us are operating in the "one big room" style library and we move things around to make space for community programs and all ages events. We are begging the legislature to work on more pressing issues such as health and water and leave libraries alone.

02-16-2026

Jonatha Basye

Once again, our legislature has introduced a bill that will cripple the public library system in Iowa. If this trend continues, many of our small, rural libraries will be forced to close because they will not have the funds nor the support to comply with new, restrictive laws. Please vote no on HSB 720.

02-16-2026

Kate Poling

Vote no on this bill. Everything in it creates more problems than it solves.Libraries are a public place for everyone. If there are items in it that a parent doesn't want their child to have, it is the parents' responsibility to supervise their own child. Walmart doesn't have to house all the glass containers & chemicals a child could get into and hurt themselves with behind locked barriers, so why should a library have to put all the things someone thinks are "harmful to minors" in a restricted area?Parents know best what is appropriate for their kids, the same age can have wildly different maturity levels. Libraries need to have the range of items available so that choices are available to match the maturity level of all patrons. Let's not forget that the legal age for sexual consent in Iowa is 16. How is having sex with someone old enough to be your parent, no parental permission needed, not harmful to the 16 year old child but accessing a book that describes a sex act is?

02-16-2026

Alison Hegland

As a library director in rural northeast Iowa, I do not support this bill. City Councils and administrations do not desire this additional responsibility of library governance. They are not specially trained the way a library board is.This removes local control from each municipality to determine the governance that best fits their community.It would be extremely costly to review every item in collections which will span tens of thousands of items in rural libraries and hundreds of thousands of items in larger libraries. Please vote no on this bill.

02-16-2026

Joyce Graves

Vote No on this bill. If parents are concerned about what their child is reading. the parent should be the one monitoring what the child brings home from the library. Children are exposed to more things on the internet than they will ever see in the library. Control of the library needs to remain with the library board, not city councils. Thank you

02-16-2026

Jan Netolicky

When, as a child, I was being unreasonable, I often tried to defend my stance to my father using any argument I could concoct. After listening to me rant on, he invariably would end my diatribe with this line: So, what youre telling me is Dont confuse me with the facts; my mind is made up. His satiric observation was on point. I wish he were here now. A staunch Republican, he believed we should be fiscally conservative, responsible for our decisions and the actions those decisions informed, and above all our government should remain small. In considering HSB720, Republican legislators are ignoring those core principles that used to define the GOP. Small government proponents should recoil at this intrusion upon library autonomy. Listen to the vast majority of your constituents. VOTE NO . . . or is your mind made up?

02-16-2026

Sheila Schofer

Vote no on this bill that overreaches, undermining local control. Age appropriateness is not one size fits all. This bill restricts access to information. Iowans love and support their libraries and dont need the state legislature fixing problems that dont exist.

02-16-2026

JeNel Barth

I join the many, many citizens of Iowa in opposing this bill. It is an overreach of gigantic proportions.Current,appointed board trustees are and always have been, perfectly capable of running libraries.Boards and library directors work hard to maintain positive relationships with city officials and develop policies that are the best for library patrons. Trust them. Vote no.

02-16-2026

Alexis Hardiman

Vote NO on HSB 720! Libraries are run for the people of their communities by having a library board representing the community. Library Boards exist so that they can ensure all tax payers in the community are represented by what the library has to offer. Local control by a board of library trustees is what makes the library so great, it makes sure people in the specific community the library serves have materials, programs and opportunities they need and deserve. Parents should have control over what their children have access to in the library. Small libraries in particular don't have the staff or resources to take on a parental role in what children check out. Libraries aren't a one book fits all type of place. Even in our small community we have many different people with many different backgrounds. What materials suit one, may not suit another.

02-16-2026

Jacqueline Venner Senske

Libraries are critical to knowledge, engagement, and awareness. They play important roles in the education of our youth and all citizens, and as we all know, a functioning democracy depend depends on a as we all know, a functioning democracy depends on an educated citizenry. Please vote No on this bill.

02-16-2026

Rick Krug

I trust the judgment of librarians and library Board of Directors across the State of Iowa to administer their local libraries. This proposed legislation is unnecessary, while inferring library services in Iowa are unsatisfactory and detrimental to its population. Please oppose this inappropriate effort to weaken each and every library in Iowa.

02-16-2026

Marie Buse

Vote NO. The government is overstepping. Parents should be the only people monitoring what their children read. What is acceptable to one parent might not be acceptable to another parent, so it should be ONLY the parents that make the decision about what their child reads. Parents need to accept responsibility for raising their children. The government seems to encourage laziness for parents and encourage the blame game....a parent can blame someone else when their child reads something they don't approve of instead of being actively involved in their children's life and monitoring it themselves. Stop allowing the government to dictate what should be parental choices.

02-16-2026

Eli Boening

This bill, and every bill like it, is a thinly veiled attempt to control access to information the state deems unfavorable, not protect children as it so claims. Governments restricting access to information and books has never been a characteristic of a thriving intellectual society. It is always a characteristic of oppressive undemocratic regimes which are in the present and past, on the wrong side of history and decency. Do the right thing, and do not allow this to move forward. If you truly want to protect our children then use the tax dollars you would have used enforcing this ludacris legislation by making sure our children have clean water to drink, air to breathe, and food to eat. Make Iowa a place where children can grow up safe from those who would do them harm. Do not restrict their access to ideas grown men, too insecure to question the only way of life they have ever known, are too afraid to look at themselves for fear they might grow and change. Iowa is better than this.

02-16-2026

Meredith Ash

I oppose this bill. It unecessarily places responsibility on city governments, undermines the professtional knoweldge of library workers and really infringes upon the ability for citizens to choose what is right for their families. I feel like it grossly underestimates the impact on rural and small libraries and could prove devistating for those library systems. I honestly ask if you, our elected officials, have been to your local library recently or have asked constituants about their own experiences. I feel like the patrons this hurts far outweights those you seek to protect.Thank you.

02-16-2026

Luellen Phelps

I am a librarian and I urge you to vote no on this bill. It is a parent's job to supervise their child, not the librarian's. All people should have the freedom to read, at any age, and if the parent disagrees with that , that is their business to work out in their own family. Librarians should not be involved in such restrictions. The freedom to read has roots in Iowa history and you are turning your back on that history. Also, demanding that librarians know the complete contents of each of thousands of books is not reasonable.

02-16-2026

Eric Jennings

Please listen to the vast number of your constituents that are telling you various reasons why this bill should not move forward. Libraries are are places of refuge, education, and assistance for our communities, not the problems that this bill makes them out to be.

02-16-2026

Alison Gowans

Please vote no on this bill. Who decides if a book is harmful to minors? This is over broad and vague and will create liability for dedicated library staff who just want to serve their communities. Parents should decide what is appropriate for their children, not the legislature. This would also be unmanageable for libraries, especially our small, rural libraries that are housed in small spaces, which will lead to cutting off access to children entirely, as has happened in other states like Idaho. Please support our libraries and children. This bill will harm them.

02-16-2026

Nancy Bakken

I am strongly opposed to the bill. There is no need to repeat the dozens of astute comments on all the negatives of this bill. Iowans are sick of these efforts to control our libraries when they are already working well. Stop wasting your time on this and work on efforts to make life better for everyday Iowans. I do not see dozens of people supporting this ridiculous bill, VOTE NO!!

02-16-2026

Laura Blaker

This bill will cause many problems, inefficiencies, and disruptions in libraries being able to serve their communities. It takes power away from parents and gives it to librarians, and subjects governance of libraries away from a dedicated group of volunteers who are knowledgeable about libraries. It doesn't solve problems, it creates them.

02-16-2026

Kati Brown

Opposed! Libraries should be governed locally. Librarians should not be prosecuted for allowing freedom of information. Parents should monitor their own children, not rely on the government to do so. Protect libraries and vote no!

02-16-2026

Audrey Stamps

I am in opposition to this bill. Please vote no. This bill would add extra costs and be difficult for librarians to effectively enforce. It would pull resources away that libraries are currently able to offer as they would have to spend both money and time ensuring that they are able to meet the requirements of this bill. We would likely lose out on talented librarians who would then go to other states with fewer restrictions. This bill would overall have significant negative impacts on how the libraries are able to function and be a valuable resource to our community. Please vote no.

02-16-2026

Morganne Dennis

I strongly oppose this bill. The cost and staff time required to conduct such a review would be substantial and unsustainable for most communities. Services would suffer in order to complete these reviews, and access would be abridged during the process.

02-16-2026

Morganne Dennis

02-16-2026

Sam Bass

This law would limit peoples access to diverse literature and media while placing undue burdens on library staff. Governmental interference with libraries threatens one of the most crucial public goods we have. Laws that make it harder for librarians, teachers, or any other public workers to provide their services diminish the quality of the Iowans experience in the present, and greatly threatens the future prosperity of the state by creating a culture that cannot retain or attract a workforce.

02-16-2026

Martha McClurg

I strongly oppose HSB 720. Having libraries be run by city councils not only politicizes a nonpolitical entity, it also creates an enormous additional workload for city council members. I am also concerned about the language in this bill related to ageappropriate materials. As a parent, I want to determine what is age appropriate for my children, not the government. This bill seems to create unnecessary problems and work for a system that is already run by trained professionals and working well.

02-16-2026

Phoebe Pittman

I am opposed to this bill. It is government overreach pure and simple. The party that claims to support small government wants an oversized role in local libraries. The party that claims parents know best refuses to acknowledge that if parents don't want their kids to read something they might have to be an active parent and pay attention to their child. The hypocrisy of the party bringing this bill forward apparently knows no bounds. Vote no

02-16-2026

Gloria Campbell

Please vote no on HSB720. Our libraries deserve freedomOf information rather than politicizing their operations to be even more conservative than other states. Leave them alone so that they can operate without overly restrictive shackles.

02-16-2026

shirley Larsen

Please vote NO on this bill.Please look at these bills with some common sense.Eliminating library boards and putting the oversite on city councils makes no sense. city councils don't have the time, or the needed expertise to run a library. To make libraries thriving places that help the community, you need a dedicated board. Why is there a bill SB119 that is proposing removing the obscenity exemption. Libraries currently do not have explicit obscene material and you want to remove that??? why, so you can make another rule that kids can't go in the adult section?? this makes no sense. I thought that Republicans wanted less government. This sure doesn't sound like it. You are making life burdensome for libraries considering any of these bills. use some some common sense and vote NO on these ridiculous bills.

02-16-2026

Andrew Curl

I oppose HSB 720. This hurtful, invasive, and unnecessary power grab from people who want to drown literacy and control other adults should not be considered. If parents are concerned about the material their kids access, they can do the work of parenthood for themselves instead of trying to control other families and other people.

02-16-2026

Jill Kordick

I am NOT in support of this bill. Our legislators should be focused on economic development; infrastructure; health/cancer rates. Instead you are spending time and resources focused on imposing values and judging. Its a families responsibility not a legislative role.

02-16-2026

Connie Behnken [City of Manchester]

I oppose this bill as it is not necessary. The current system works fine. I find this to be an act of over reach by the state and our local control. Our Catholic school could lose it's only library source if this bill is passed. I think this is more about banning books than financial benefits. Sincerely, Mayor Connie Behnken, Manchester, Iowa

02-16-2026

Kayla Gerloff

I strongly oppose this bill. City councils are already overworked with their current work load and they appoint the members to the library board. The remainder of the bill could be detrimental to small town libraries. Without space and personnel, libraries would be backed into a corner. Iowa should strive ti be back where they used to be in regards to education and libraries promote education and provide study space for those who dont have access. Please vote no

02-16-2026

Abby Dubisar

Vote no! This bill will harm communities and the libraries they treasure. Infrastructures, such as library boards, are already in place and working well. And library leaders who know their communities already follow clearly written guidelines for what is included on library shelves.

02-16-2026

Bridget Carberry Montgomery

Please leave our libraries in the very capable hands of librarians and library boards. As a member of a City Council, I have the utmost confidence in the existing system and feel that moving any powers to City Council is wholly unnecessary.

02-16-2026

Braden Clinger

I urge you to vote no on this bill. The ageappropriate provisions are a solution to a problem that simply does not exist, and, as happened in Idaho, would be detrimental to libraries across the state, and particularly rural libraries. The forced transfer of library governance to city council is adding an administrative burden to already overstretched city councils. This bill seems to be designed expressly to shut down libraries across the state.

02-16-2026

Jennifer McMillan

This bill will ultimately lead to the closure of many public libraries especially in rural areas. The data directly correlates higher literacy rates with lower crime rates. We should want our communities to be centered around libraries and the resources and services they provide. We should not be trying to cripple them.

02-16-2026

Ross McIntyre

This is not intended to enhance the reach of educational opportunities nor to help libraries be better libraries this feels like it is about control. In our society, there has to be space between the most democratic institution in our communities and the whims of politicians. This does not feel like a gesture of good faith.

02-16-2026

Melissa DeLong

I oppose HSB 720 as the consolidation of power into the City Council is not welcome or needed. Libraries should be independent of any city government as well as it is something a city council is not equipped to govern nor should they. The rights of what to read for minors should be left into the hands of the parents and not any public institution. It is the parents responsibility to guide their child in a way they see fit and this is completely government overreach. Why do you continue to introduce Bills that are clearly out of a dystopian playbook. You aren't protecting minors, you are stifling freedom of expression and freedom to explore and read what the public has available to them making an already difficult job of parenting, even harder. STOP!

02-16-2026

Amber McNamara

Please vote no on this devastating bill. This bill would take away local control, and politicize our libraries. It would remove the separation that exists for all the right reasons. This attack on libraries is wrong. The cost and logistics of this bill would be devastating. Libraries will close. Please vote no.

02-16-2026

Bailey Turner

I strongly oppose the implementation of HSB 720. This bill reads as a intrusive attempt to remove our patrons right to equitable access to information. I believe that parenting should be left to parents as opposed to forcing those working in libraries to act as gatekeepers for information. Furthermore, as reiterated by many other commenters here, the requirements of this proposed bill will cripple rural libraries which play a critical role in the communities that they reside in. Please vote NO on HSB 720.

02-16-2026

Donetta Stewart

Please vote NO on HSB 720. I am the director and the sole librarian of the Auburn Public Library. If this becomes law, we will be forced to restrict access to the library for minors. It will have devastating consequences for my community, who love us and depend on our library to provide programming and materials for the children. The people of Iowa have said time and time again when you have proposed similar bills that they want to be the ones making decisions for their children. Why wont you listen to your constituents? Why do you want to cripple the public libraries in Iowa?

02-16-2026

Vicky Hinsenbrock

Again the Iowa legislature is out to "fix" a problem that does not exist. Library board members are already nominated and approved by city councils. This bill would prevent voters from approving or denying changes made to library boardstaking away our rights as votersfor absolutely no reason. And now you also want libraries and librarians to act as police to prevent anyone under 18 from accessing materials aimed at adult users. My parents were big believers in reading and libraries but also talked with us about books and their contents. Why don't you allow parents to work with their children on these decisions? Libraries and librarians are not the police nor should they be. And on top of your planned police requirement, you would prevent any tax money going to libraries that do not align with your ageappropriate policies. What is it with the Iowa legislature and their vendetta against libraries? The system has worked wonderfully for many, many years. Leave it alone.

02-16-2026

Susan Moore

This bill will have negative effects on libraries and the communities they serve. If passed, there will be disruptions in the way libraries provide service to children and adults, especially in small public libraries. Do not allow this bill through the first funnel.

02-16-2026

Eric Saylor

Like every other library censorship bill proposed by Republicans, this is legislative garbage that places undue burdens on patrons, librarians, and local officials because deeply repressed busybodies in the state legislature don't like the possibility of someone under 18, somewhere, reading something of which that elected official disapproves. It's not their business and is flagrantly unconstitutional; this bill should be killed in subcommittee.

02-16-2026

Claire Asberry

SF 2119 is government overreach and an attack on the people who make our libraries thrive. Librarians arent recklesstheyre trained professionals protecting educational access. Repealing the exemption doesnt protect kids, it exposes staff and volunteer boards to lawsuits, forces feardriven censorship, and wastes taxpayer dollars on legal battles. Parents are responsible for guiding their children, not courts or lawsuits. If we value smalltown libraries and the people who run them, this bill should be dead on arrival.

02-16-2026

Marjorie Nadler

I oppose the library legislation. I agree that parents already have tools and choices to guide and supervise their children's use of library resources, and city councils and administrations do not want, or need, the added responsibility of managing libraries. Please don't place this burden on libraries.

02-16-2026

Kathryn Fink

Vote NO on HSB720. The measures in this bill would be incredibly costly and have hugely negative effects on our states public libraries. Local library boards are approved by city councils, and voters may already change their governance with a vote, if they so choose. This bill is government overreach: allow library boards to govern and parents to parent their own children.

02-16-2026

Mallory Snow

I am commenting to share my strong opposition to HSB 720. Communities already choose who oversees their library by voting in mayoral and council elections. Mayoral appointment with city council approval for board members already exists. This portion of the bill is a redundancy and will further burden the public servants serving on city councils throughout the state. Additionally, this bill will effectively shutter libraries in the state of Iowa. This would be a massive disservice to rural populations, of which Iowa has many, who rely on their library for internet access, access to learning and leisure resources for their families, and more. It is a parent's right and a parent's responsibility to make learning and leisure choices for their own children not the legislatures. Please vote no on this frivolous bill that will ultimately demean the strong foundation libraries provide to their communities.

02-16-2026

Sarah Uthoff

Somewhere along the way the Legislators seem to have gotten it into their heads that libraries are the enemy. They are not. In many small towns they are vital lifelines for tech help, copy machines, faxing, computer use, and as always help finding good information and books. They need help, not harm. And as a lifelong Iowan I can NOT understand this emphasis to build up state power. Iowa has always been Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain." Instead in a major reversal of almost 200 years the state is trying for an alltime power grab vote against this.

02-16-2026

Anne Tews

Vote NO on this bill.Parents are the ones to determine what THEIR child reads but should not be the ones to determine what other youth read. If a parent is concerned about what their child is reading they need to come to the library with their child. Everyone, minor or adult, has the same privacy rights. If someone wants to know what someone else is reading, show me your warrant.My brother and I read beyond our "ageappropriate" levels for years. My parents said that it was because they raised us to come to them when we didn't understand a book passage or movie scene. In return they didn't tell us we were idiots for not understanding XYZ. It was mutual trust and we benefited from it.

02-16-2026

Andrea Reser

Oppose. Libraries are not the enemy. Staff are well versed in book selections. All children, teens, and young adults deserve the right to be represented in books and media. Small town and rural libraries would suffer disproportionately with potential from litigation. Its amazing to me the energy this state puts into controlling what our kids have access to based on their own narrow world view. This benefits no one and there are more pressing issues our state desperately needs addressed. Please stop the culture war and solve real problems.

02-16-2026

Kathryn Heffner

As a library director in rural Iowa, I urge you to reconsider this bill. Stripping the power of the library board of trustees to city council members is removing an infrastructure of oversight. Library board trustees have educational courses from the state library that they must take in order for them to stay informed of current library policies nationwide. They are required to advocate for the library in situations where librarians cant advocate. They are responsible for hiring and firing, overseeing endowments, approving the yearly budget draft, approving all library policies (including hours of operation), shaping the strategic plan, and other key leadership tasks. This unpaid work is necessary for library accreditation in the state of Iowa, which is directly tied to state funding.How can city council members (who are elected and compensated) be expected to do this work?

02-16-2026

Julie Neff

Iowa parents do NOT want and do NOT need Republican legislators censoring books in public libraries. Parents are more than capable of determining which books they want their children to read without any interference from legislators who are overstepping and interfering in family decisions. The party of small government should mind their own children and families and choose the books they like for their OWN children, not mine. I oppose HSB 720 and urge Wheeler and Boden to mind their own business and oppose it as well.

02-16-2026

Cecilia Roudabush

As stated for the last library attempt, if a parent is parenting their child there is absolutely no need for this bill. If I am a concerned parent, I will monitor my child's reading choices. If I wish my child to grow up knowing how to make a decision based on reason and facts, then I will ask what they want to read and why, read it along with them then discuss the pros and cons of the material. That's PARENTING!

02-16-2026

Kristin Stuchis

Libraries strengthen communities by providing access to resources and information to everyone. Librarians and Library Board Members dedicate their efforts to providing enriching opportunities that serve the public through the library. City Council, on the other hand, has enough on their agenda and would not have the time or expertise needed. As a curious student and later a committed teacher, public libraries have been essential for learning, collaborating and connecting. Libraries are healthy and thriving one of the most vibrant places in each Iowa town I have visited or lived in. Rather than restrict an effective institution, we must support it. I respectfully oppose HSB 720.

02-16-2026

Megan Collins

I strongly oppose this bill. Public libraries are a vital part of Iowa communities. They don't need onerous restrictions and funding cuts. They need the full support of our legislators. The current system of oversight for public libraries has worked well for decades.

02-16-2026

Megan Collins

02-16-2026

Megan Collins

02-16-2026

Julie Murry

I am strongly opposed to this bill. Where in the world do you come up with these ideas to create problems that dont exist and then try to punish both children and librarians and library employees for reading and providing a learning safe space for Iowas children and families. It seems you have become the party of paranoia! Libraries and their services are a gift that we pay taxes forand librarians are well trained and very qualified for their jobs.more so than most of the people behind this bill! I didnt elect Moms for Liberty to run the state of Iowa. Vote NO!

02-16-2026

Megan Collins

I strongly oppose HSB 720. Public libraries are a vital part of Iowa communities and they deserve the full support of our state government. They don't need onerous restrictions and funding cuts. The current system of library oversight has worked well for decades. If the state legislature wants to protect children, they should pass common sense gun reform.

02-16-2026

Angela Aarhus

I am a lifelong user and fan of public libraries. Libraries are not harmful to children. There are things in society that are far more dangerous to children, such as the internet, AI, etc. that deserve more regulation than public libraries. I oppose this bill.

02-16-2026

Rebecca Roberts

Vote NO on HSB 720. There are many issues with this bill including that having the city review all of books would be extremely costly (as libraries have thousands of books) and a waste of time (as libraries already have review and selection polies in place).

02-16-2026

Debra Tharp

This bill is another attempt to restrict and control public access to information. There is no need to fix our current system of library boards and funding. Librarians and libraries are valued resources in our communities. Please keep them funded and independent and vote no.

02-16-2026

Sandra Norfolk

Opposed. Librarians work hard to provide materials for ALL their patrons. Parents have the opportunity to work with librarians to ensure their children only check out materials that correspond with family values. No parent has the right to determine what others may or may not check out. Libraries provide essential services to ALL their community, not just children.

02-16-2026

Brenda Ross

If our state motto still means anything you will vote no on HSB 720: "Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain." I grew up free to read and am better for it. Depriving the next generation from having the same rights does not "protect" them. Using our taxpayer money to create unnecessary barriers is not fiscal responsibility. Listen to the people, vote no on HSB 720, and stop making libraries out to be the enemy.

02-16-2026

Terryne Densmore

Regarding HSB 720.I do not want Iowa to interfere with anyone's freedom to read any books whatsoever. The current administration needs to focus on public safety, services and budgets. Please keep your noses out of private matters. Library patrons and their families should be able to make their own decisions, not you.

02-16-2026

Linda Wright

Vote NO on HSB 720! Parents already have tools and choices to guide and supervise their children's use of library resources, and city councils and administrations do not want, or need, the added responsibility of managing libraries. Please don't place this burden on libraries. It is not the government's place to decide who can have access to what materials. This bill represents a dangerous misuse of power and an attack on libraries, which provide invaluable resources to our communities.

02-16-2026

Minsu Song

Vote NO. It is demeaning and an insult to Iowan parents, families, and public libraries to think the government can dictate the information the public has access to. Trust families to have meaningful conversations about the media they consume.

02-16-2026

Terryne Densmore

02-16-2026

Jeanie Hau

I strongly oppose HDB720. This bill would put more strain on the City Councils, and more work for our librarians. The librarians should not be required to police children in order to receive funding. We cannot afford this with our limited funding as city councils are reducing budgets across the state already. Our libraries support and provide for our communities in so many more ways than just books. Have you visited your local library in the last 5 years? Ten years?

02-16-2026

Suzanne Miller [- None -]

Vote NO on HSB 720. This is a bill that will hurt small towns whose public libraries are often the lifeblood of the community. Local library boards are capable of running libraries without involving city councils who are unaware of their needs. Why does the state legislature want to hurt the best thing in most of our small communities by threatening their funding?To the Iowa State legislature please, please, please leave our public libraries alone!

02-16-2026

Mark Faldet

I strongly oppose this bill. It will place unfunded burden on libraries. Most any student has access to the internet at home or other public spaces and can be exposed to the information this bill is trying to accomplish. City councils already have enough to manage without this burden being placed on them.

02-16-2026

Jeffrey Anderson

Taking authority away from trained library professionals and local appointed boards consisting of individuals who want to serve their communities in this capacity, and essentially putting the responsibility on city councils that generally dont have the time or interest is doing so will not result in better or more effective governance. Cities are having a harder time finding individuals willing to serve on boards and commissions, and this bill will only make it worse. Iowas libraries are treasurers and a public good, please dont harm them. Vote no on HSB 720.

02-16-2026

Annette Argall

For the benefit of communities and library users throughout Iowa, let our community libraries continue to serve our communities as they have been. Dedicated, knowledgeable library staff and committed local library board volunteers do an excellent job now; there is no need to tinker with the system. I urge you to vote NO on HSB 720.

02-16-2026

Cory Rigler

Representatives,As a city council member in Huxley, Iowa, I urge you to oppose HSB 720. This bill undermines local control by shifting library governance decisions away from appointed boards and placing an added burden on city councils. HSB 720 adds unnecessary mandates and complicates governance while increasing cost to our communities. Public libraries give every Iowan access to information, learning, and opportunity. They protect patron privacy and allow people to explore ideas without fear. We should be careful about broad censorship policies that limit access to books and resources. Strong libraries strengthen our communities and our democracy.Please vote no on HSB 720 and trust local communities to manage their libraries responsibly.Thank you, Cory Rigler

02-16-2026

Marilyn Miller

I strongly oppose HSB 720. It is my job, mine, to decide what my child reads and when. Children mature at their own pace, and what may be too mature for one may be fine for another. It is my job, mine, as their parent to assess their maturity and discuss the reading material with them. Librarians, welleducated and trained, already provide assistance to parents who have concerns about what their child is being exposed to. This is government overreach and there is simply no need for this bill.

02-17-2026

Martha Wolf

I am respectfully opposed to HSB720. This legislation creates signficant logistical financial and legal burdens for public libraries while undermining local community control. It destroys local control as well as parents of the right to make their own decisions about library materials. Once again, I must conclude that this committee does not see value in libraries, and wants to place unfunded mandates on communitites that already have limited funds due to previous legislation.Why are you so fearful that citizens are not able to decide what is best for their own communities? Why do you fear trustees of local library boards are not able to make reasonable rules for the people using their libraries. Why do you feel the need to not let parents decide what is best for their own children? What are you so afraid of that you must write legislation that hampers the very act of a local library having autonomy. Is your local librarian supportive of this bill? Have you bothered to ask? Vote NO

02-17-2026

Briana Romero

Subcommittee: Wheeler (Chair), Boden, McBurneyFebruary 17, 2026I am writing to express my opposition to HSB 720.Public libraries are one of the few places in our communities where everyone truly has equal access. Regardless of income, political belief, age, religion, or background, every Iowan can walk into a public library and use its resources without cost or barrier. In a time when so much feels divided, libraries remain open to all.Libraries provide far more than books. They offer internet access for job searches and schoolwork, early literacy programs for children, educational support for students, technology help for seniors, and meeting space for community groups. For many familiesespecially in rural or lowerincome communitiesthe library is the only place these services are available for free.Putting restrictions or barriers will greatly impact not only libraries but communities everywhere.

02-17-2026

Zoe Murphy

I strongly oppose this bill. Libraries are important community spaces for people from all walks of life. Librarians work tirelessly everyday to accommodate a myriad of different literacy needs and have the training and experience to back up their choices without the state government interfering.

02-17-2026

Jessica Mullenix

Let parents decide what their children can and cannot access. Don't censor information based on individual morals. Rather censor materials based on standing law. We want an educated society, one where information is available to all. Don't be a book burner. Allow parental choice to dictate what children are exposed to.

02-17-2026

Elizabeth Willem

This bill is creating a problem where none exists. There are already safeguards in place, it overrides parent's right to raise and educate their children, and imposes potential criminal charges on librarians creating liabilities for the municipalities they work in. Please VOTE NO on this illconceived bill.

02-17-2026

Shona Roeder

This is stupid legislation. We dont need more restrictions and extra required labor from librarians. The kids are fine. Ask the benignly neglected Gen Xers how thoroughly their library reading choices were supervised (minimally) and how damaged they were by it (not at all). If parents do a reasonable job teaching their values, a library book isnt going to lead a kid astray.Please concentrate your limited time in session on actual dangers to Iowa children, like inadequate SNAP benefits, alarming cancer rates, and being dead last in the country for pediatric psychiatric beds..

02-17-2026

Jan Hu

Please vote no on this bill. This bill will totally destroy libraries, especially small town libraries across the state. Small Town libraries are important to their citizens that do not have access to: information for research, books for reading enjoyment, internet access, fax machines, copy machines, inperson educational programs regarding health and everyday life, out reach programs and educational programs for youth and children. Library boards consist of concerned citizens with a knowledge of the importance of reading and making books available to the public.They work hard to provide a safe and friendly environment for their citizens. Turning control of the libraries over to the city councils puts extra stress on the members, who most are not knowledgeable in running a library. This move is the beginning of the government controlling what people can and cannot read by banning books, just like all countries that are under authoritarian control. Thank you.

02-17-2026

Olivia Hickcox

I strongly oppose this bill. Public libraries are essential to the communities they serve and this bill is trying to solve a nonexistent problem. Parents should be responsible for guidance on their childrens materials, not the government. Limiting library access will do more harm than good.

02-17-2026

Wendy Ruble

PLEASE VOTE NO on this bill. Public libraries should serve the broad collective of individuals not the narrow choices of a few. Parents can already be involved in their childrens selections. We have established library boards & processes stop harmful censorship.

02-17-2026

Angela Griner

I strongly oppose HSB720. This bill removes local control and a parents right to choose what reading material is best for their own children. We have a strong, thoughtful and knowledgeable local library board that is approved by the city council. Removing this current partnership and placing control in the hands of city council members is an attempt to fix a problem that does not exist. There is already oversight in place, and it is working.As a taxpaying citizen, what is appropriate for my family cannot be dictated by a lawmaker in Des Moines. This bill attempts to control what my children can check out and would, in fact, prevent my child from checking out the book they are reading as recently as 8:00 p.m. last night. The developmental level at which my children read and the material they enjoy is far beyond what any legislator could reasonably dictate, and they exemplify the benefits of local control at the library level and its contribution to intellectual growth. Vote NO.

02-17-2026

Wendy Doyel

I strongly oppose this bill! It would be detrimental to libraries, a financial strain on cities, and a burden to city councils who already over burdened. I dont understand why you want to try and fix something that isnt broken.

02-17-2026

Andrea Wilford

Hands off our libraries! They are a bastion of knowledge and protect Americans access to information. Libraries should not be controlled by politicians. Librarians are trained experts in information and literature. Why are we dumbing down our state even more? Why would corporations bring jobs here to uneducated poverty stricken masses? You welfare farmer politicians are destroying Iowa.

02-17-2026

Andrea Wilford

02-17-2026

Jean Strable

Vote no let library boards provide oversight to libraries. City Councils have enough to manage without adding another city department. Librarians already operate libraries using best practices to provide services, programs, and collections for their communities.

02-17-2026

Alice Heinrichs

I strongly opposed HSB 720. Leave decisions on library management and boards to those with expertise. City councils do not have the bandwidth to oversee libraries. This has potential to limit access to rural libraries that sometimes are already struggling. This is not a good law for Iowa.

02-17-2026

Brenda Barton

Our public libraries are the hearts of our communities. The story hours, adult coloring, book clubs, gathering of neighbors is irreplaceable. Our librarians have plenty of programs to run. This bill takes away parental choice. I ask you to vote no, do not move this bill forward.

02-17-2026

Dustin Rogers

I oppose HSB 720 because it undermines local library governance, weakens community input, and opens the door to censorship through vague ageappropriate standards. Libraries serve all Iowans by protecting intellectual freedom and privacy. This bill replaces professional, communitybased oversight with political control and adds burdens without benefit. Please oppose HSB 720.

02-17-2026

Dustin Rogers

02-17-2026

Katie Smith

Strongly oppose and urge this committee to as well. Its unnecessary let parents parent their own children. This seems to be an attempt to fix a problem thats not really happening in the ways suggested by this bill and will negatively impact rural communities. Oppose

02-17-2026

Kirsten Weiland

Vote No on this bill. I do not support this bill. The changes proposed in this bill are not necessary, they are, once again, presented to appease the viewpoints of some and not all. Oversight should remain as it is, with the Friends and not City Councils, Librarians should not have to do any additional paperwork filing or justification on ordering or supplying materials for their library. Parents can be the ones to police their children if thats what the choose. Once again. Dont create problems where there arent any.

02-17-2026

Dave Baker [The 29th State]

I have defended Iowas libraries more times than I should ever have to, and I am here again because this bill demands it. Let me state this plainly: this proposal is a profoundly misguided piece of legislation that threatens the integrity, independence, and functioning of public libraries across this state. It is not a thoughtful policy, and it should be rejected without hesitation. PLEASE VOTE NOand dear Republicans...STOP TRYING TO SABOTAGE OUR LIBRARIES!!! Dave Bakerauthor of More Than Waypoints and The 29th State

02-17-2026

Alyssa Walker

Please vote NO on this bill. City councils do not need the added responsibilities of library oversight. In small towns, city council members do not have the knowledge or backgrounds to make decisions on what is best for patrons in the library. In our small towns, the library is the only place for kids to go after school, on no school days, and during the summer, that provides a safe, fun space for children to be social and communicate with one another.

02-17-2026

Sadye Scott-Hainchek

I oppose HSB 720 and ask that the committee members do the same. The party that claims to be in favor of local control and parental rights would be hypocritical to send this bill anywhere besides the trash. Library systems have libraryspecific boards overseeing them and trained professionals staffing and operating them; what good does it serve to take that authority away from them and give it to a third party? Similiarly, children already have parents or guardians who are well within their ability to examine the materials their children seek and to ask an individual librarian (or, obviously, look the item up online if they don't want to read it) to assess its appropriateness. One parent's disapproval of an item shouldn't preclude me from reading it, or cause the entire facility to be criminally and financially targeted. Respect our personal freedoms and the First Amendment, and vote NO on this bill.

02-17-2026

Michael Gabler [Resident]

I strongly oppose HSB 720. Our libraries and librarians are working well. Lets not try to fix something that isnt broken. Libraries arent polluting childrens minds, the Internet is. Libraries have systems in place to remove inappropriate books. Any community member can object and have their concern listened to.

02-17-2026

Megan Klein-Hewett

Opposed. This bill represents a startling overreach of state government and removal of local control from our communities. Iowa's libraries are serving their communities the way their communities need to be served, and with plenty of existing oversight (the Miller Test, parental rights, Library Boards approved by local City Council). This bill would remove all of that existing, reasonable, oversight and actively harm Iowa's communities by making it impossible for their local library to serve them appropriately. Vote no.

02-17-2026

Holly Allen

I strongly oppose HSB 720. This will have a negative affect on Iowa's public libraries, especially in our smaller communities where this idea of locking away books which are not 'ageappropriate' is not only ridiculous, but completely unfeasible. Parents already have the ability to monitor their child's reading habits (including accompanying them to the library itself) and discuss content and reading choices with their child. Please stop trying to censor everyone's access to books with these terrible bills. Also, library boards already work with their city councils. There is absolutely no need for that portion of the bill either. Let local governments govern.

02-17-2026

Caroline Bredekamp

Libraries are meant for EVERYONE of ALL AGES and ALL BELIEFS AND INTERESTS. These bills that are being presented are going to destroy libraries and library services in Iowa, in particular in the smaller and rural library systems. The bills are very open ended in their interpretations and will only cause more confusion. If a library patron doesn't care for a certain item the option is simple: stop reading it and choose something else. Librarians are also trained to find the books best suited for the individual regardless of age. I for example read at a college level elementary school. I needed books that were appropriate for my reading comprehension levels and my social level two varied areas in which to find appropriate reading material for me. I was assisted in finding books from upper elementary, young adult and adult level books that worked for me. All of these proposed rules and laws would have eliminated what services I would have received. The LIBRARIANS knew!

02-17-2026

Rebecca Carico [Library board member]

I have been on library board for 30 years and I am very much aware that city council does not have the time and energy to oversee the library. It is very necessary for interested parties be in the library and be actively using library materials and be involved in the activities of the library. We would not have the building and materials we have available to the public if the city council has to take on the management of the library .

02-17-2026

Michaela Tighe

I oppose HSB 720 and urge you to vote no.Public libraries exist to ensure equitable access to information, education, and community resources for all residents. This bill risks undermining that mission by placing additional eligibility requirements and oversight structures that could limit local library autonomy and create barriers to service.Libraries already operate under professional standards, local governance, and community accountability. Shifting additional oversight to city councils and tying state assistance to new requirements may politicize library operations, strain already limited budgets, and disproportionately harm small and rural libraries that depend on stable funding and flexible local decisionmaking.For many communities, especially rural ones, the library is not just a place for books. It is a hub for internet access, job searching, student learning, literacy programs, and civic participation. Policies that threaten funding stability or create uncertainty in g

02-17-2026

Lisa Riesenberg

Please Vote NO on this bill. Libraries are vital to rural communities and this places an unwarranted strain on the small ones in particular. Libraries are considered safe spaces for everyone, no matter their age, to explore the world around them. Libraries encourage reading and learning about all topics. Age appropriate for one child will be different for others. Parents should have the responsibility to monitor what their child is reading by talking with their children or visiting the library with their children, not by restricting the library or access in the library. Books can be used as teachable moments for families to share ideas, values and concerns. By transferring leadership and oversight from the library board to the city council the library becomes a political minefield and not a place for all. Please VOTE NO.

02-17-2026

Nicole Pett

Opposed. I urge you to consider the significant legal, financial, and governance implications this bill would create for Iowas public libraries and municipalities.The bill removes control of public libraries and consolidates authority with city councils. City councils and municipal administrations have not sought this additional responsibility, and many do not have the time or expertise to manage daily library collection determinations. When this issue arose in 2024, not a single one of the 214 elected or appointed officials, administrators, board members, or municipal employees indicated they were in favor of the measure or thought it would benefit their community.

02-17-2026

Kristin Stuchis

I strongly oppose the HSB 720 bill regarding public libraries. Local libraries provide resources to all and are essential for democracy. Local library boards and librarians are dedicated to providing the best services for our communities. City council has enough on its plate and it is less in tune with the needs of libraries.I remember as a child, wandering in the nonfiction section, and finding stories of people who made a difference and of ideas and places all around the world and being inspired. The library provided resources that prepared me as an exchange student to connect with others in multiple languages. That opportunity ignited my curiosity, and I see that zest for learning in students. I am against HSB 720 and support local librarians and local library boards who foster curiosity meeting the needs of their communities.

02-17-2026

Susan Ramsey

As the party of "smaller government," the majority party should oppose this bill as it removes local control at the community level. Our communities are well represented by library boards and councils and by their elected school board members who best know, understand and represent their constituents' values and needs. This bill proposes removing that important role in providing essential local management of how tax dollars support communities' greatest needs. Please remain the champion of smaller government and oppose this bill. Iowans love their libraries and their schools. We support local control in these institutions that serve us as individuals and as citizens of Iowa.

02-17-2026

Helen Rigdon

Vote NO on HSB 720. This bill will do great harm to an already smoothly running operation called public libraries. To take the governance of public libraries and put it into the hands of the city council is ridiculous. The City Councils do not wish for this additional task put on them that is why they appoint the Board of Trustees members.Please rethink this and vote NO. There is no need to "fix" something that isn't broken.Helen Rigdon

02-17-2026

Anne Panthani

Please vote no on HSB 720. Access to free library resources is good for everyone, including families. Parents already have the ability to guide their children's reading. All they need to do is be involved and engaged. Go to the library with your kids. Ask about what they like to read and actually listen when they answer. Recommend books you used to like, or that you've heard recommended. Ask the librarians for book suggestions together. You don't need the state to parent for you. This will be a huge loss for all communities, especially smaller rural ones with already limited library resources.

02-17-2026

Matthieu Biger

I join the unanimous call of hundreds or Iowans and lobbyists for you to vote NO to HSB 720.This bill would add unnecessary (and duplicated) burden to cities while disregarding both libraries' own policies and parents' role in helping children grow as readers.This bill flies in the face of small government, fiscal responsibility, local control, and even "family values" as it would force more work on local communities while denying parents and their children their right to access and choose reading materials and discussing those choices.

02-17-2026

Daniel Voss

Leave the public libraries alone. This legislation would destroy libraries as we know the and limit free access to information. This bill removes parental control. Today a parent can decide which library materials they allow their child to check out. Under this bill, big government and minority special interests will make that decision. Leave the libraries alone!!!

02-17-2026

Maeve Danielson

I support this bill. The very first section of the documents purpose is to remove pornographic material from the young adult sections of libraries. Children shouldnt have access to porn. This isnt a restriction of their or the libraries rights. Its a protection against an addictive material that has no positive effects. The purpose of the rest of the bill is to impose checks and balances that ensure the laws are upheld. I hope all the people opposing the bill didnt only read the Iowa Library associations post about the bill and instead read the document.

02-17-2026

David Anderson

This bill claims to want to protect children from inappropriate material, and then it takes control of libraries from local communities and centralizes it. This will do nothing but make our state less competitive in the 21st century economy. No on HSB 720.

02-17-2026

Jordyn Moore

Libraries need to remain insulated from politicians (city council members) to effectively run. Vote no and maintain local control at the local level. Librarians are trained, professionals who do not allow obscene content in their libraries. This will create more of a burden on local governments and tax dollars, which is not beneficial to the public. VOTE NO.

02-17-2026

Matthew Bailey

I urge you to oppose HSB 720. This omnibus library bill combines multiple harmful provisions into one measure, including undermining the confidentiality of minors records, stripping authority from library boards and giving it to city councils, and imposing a vague harmful to minors standard that would force reviews of all materials. The bill also withholds local tax dollars from libraries that do not comply and removes ALA and ILA references from Public Library Standards. These changes invite censorship, weaken local library governance, and erode professional standards. Please vote no on HSB 720.

02-17-2026

Shawna Riggins

I strongly OPPOSE this proposed legislation. This is needless government overreach. I am not sure what is more concerning though, this proposed harmful legislation or the complete disregard that state legislators will demonstrate when they refuse to act upon the feedback shared by Iowans. LISTEN TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND SPEND SOME TIME ON LEGISLATION TO PROTECT OUR HEALTH.

02-17-2026

Rebekah Domayer

I strongly oppose this bill. As our voted representatives, this bill does not reflect Iowans values. Libraries are an institution and staffed with credible and trustworthy people. This bill is cruel and only promotes a lack of respect for public services. Vote no.

02-17-2026

JIll Johnston

Everyone should oppose this bill. Parents can go to the library with their child to ensure they only pick books they want or allow their child to read. A public library needs to meet the needs of the public. A book has never jumped off the shelf and forced someone to read it.

02-17-2026

Christy Coffman

Vote no on HSB 720.Do not put the burden of gatekeeping / babysitting on the library staff. If the parents are not comfortable with the possibility of their child getting hold of (in their minds) inappropriate content, then they should be at the library with their children assisting in their reading decisions.Libraries offer so much to a community, especially in rural Iowa, that to limit the possibilities to all because of a few is wrong.

02-17-2026

Burke Shiffler

Dear Republican legislators, I challenge you to find one comment here from someone who is in favor of this ridiculous bill. Leave libraries and librarians alone and let them do the amazing jobs theyve been doing thoughtfully and successfully in Iowa for more than 150 years. Please concentrate on passing legislation that will make life better in our state, not worse.

02-17-2026

Alexis Kurth [Antelope Lending Library]

Iowa HSB 720 should not move forward because it creates unnecessary barriers and undermines systems that are already working. Libraries already have book purchasing and collection development policies in place, guided by professional standards and overseen by boards appointed by elected city councils. These structures ensure accountability and community input, making this bill a solution to a problem that does not exist. Parents also have the responsibility and ability to monitor what their children read, which is why libraries maintain policies about youth safety and supervision within library spaces. Rather than restricting access for everyone, lawmakers should support libraries in continuing to serve their communities with transparency, local oversight, and a commitment to intellectual freedom

02-17-2026

Mary McDonald

Vote NO. I am a constituent in Winneshiek county. Local governments have already been overburdened by the state. Libraries are for the free exchange of ideas, which is foundational to democracy and a free society. Anyone threatened by that is not a supporter of freedom.

02-17-2026

Steven Hardina

This bill is massive state government overreach, censors information that should be freely available, puts excessive burdens on libraries and cities, and is simply a bad idea with no legitimate reasons to be implemented. I strongly oppose this bill. Please vote no.

02-17-2026

Matti Smith [City of Sioux City]

I strongly oppose this bill. Libraries are one of the oldest institutions with active and functioning governing boards who give the time and dedication needed to advise and guide policy for libraries. I also wish that legislators would live in the reality that exists and stop trying to regulate libaries for the 'protection of children.' Libraries are not the problem. Face the real issues and stop trying to pick on one of the few places that still promotes reading and education for all that walk through these doors. Libraries unlike the internet have staff who oversee the content. While you many no agree with it the regulation of this entity will do very little to the misinformation problems facing youth today. Creating barriers will only increase the undereducation America is facing today. Legislators should spend time one finding solutions to HELP the youth of today, not continue to hinder them by taking away one of the few free places they can pursue curated information.

02-17-2026

Shauna Meany

I strongly oppose this bill and urge the committee to vote no. Our libraries provide SO MUCH to our communities and this bill would enact a level of censorship that 1) is unconstitutional and 2) would inhibit rural libraries ability to serve the entire community. As a parent of two young boys who spends A LOT of time in our public libraries, I am so grateful for the access we have to every book in their doors AND I know it is my responsibility to ensure that the books my children are looking at and reading are appropriate for them. Please vote no on this harmful bill. There is no good that comes from this.

02-17-2026

Jessica Link

Vote NO on HSB 720. Public libraries should be independent to the communities they serve and the public. This would politicize libraries, negatively impact their public and private funding opportunities, and place such logistical burdens on the operations of libraries (to solve a fictious "problem" of obscenities) that it would likely shutter some smaller libraries.

02-17-2026

Lisa Martincik

Absolutely OPPOSE. This bill addresses nonexistent problems while providing no legitimate reason for its existence. It would damage libraries and communities, and insults minors, patents/guardians, librarians, trustees, and community members. Please address real issues like polluted waterways instead of repeatedly proposing antilibrary bills that numbers show are deeply unpopular.

02-17-2026

Michael Maxwell

Please, we sane Iowans who respect civil rights and liberties BEG you to STOP BRINGING THESE NONSENSE ANTIAMERICAN ANTILIBRARY BILLS TO THE TABLE. Legislation like this is cheap, lazy, and does nothing to improve Iowa. In fact, youre squeezing the life and culture out of our state like goo from a zit. This bill and others like it rest on goofy faulty premises that would be laughable if you werent weaponizing your bad faith to persecute the very people you were elected to serve. Keep our public libraries and our civic culture strong, and do not pass ANY antilibrary legislation like this. We see what youre doing, and youre only lying to yourselves at this point. Bullying is bullying is bullying is bullying. Stop trying to score Fox News points by picking on people.

02-17-2026

Sean Duffy

I am a business owner and I strongly oppose this bill. Kids are not going to the library for the harmful materials you claim. They get that off the internet and from social media. Libraries are needed for their resources and the help they do in their communities. We should be supporting kids who want to learn, not hinder it or make it impossible for them to find the information that they crave. It seems as if you are trying to remove any learning resources and wish to make our society more ignorant of facts and history. Shame on Subcommittee members: WheelerCH, Boden, McBurney for even proposing such a bill. You are part of the reason our schools are doing worse every year. Stop trying to be holier than thou, we know you aren't. Vote this bill down or risk losing your jobs.

02-17-2026

Julia Weisshaar-Mullin

I strongly oppose this bill. Stripping the power of the library board of trustees and giving it to city council members removes competency and creates politicization. Parents should have control over their OWN childrens reading, not anyone elses. This overreach is intrusive and unnecessary.

02-17-2026

Megan Garrett

This bill does not support the interest of most Iowans and our representatives time should be spent on the needs of the people. Tax dollars spent on attempting to restrict books when our state struggles with accessing clean water, soil, and food, let alone decent academics is beyond disappointing and is making a mockery of our beloved state. Do not vote for this!

02-17-2026

Taylor Hintch

I strongly oppose this bill and any bill that is so clearly intended to politicize and strip power from Iowas libraries which provide essential services to communities. To do so is to further degrade the lives of Iowans that these libraries serve. Libraries are capable of operating independently and in the best interest of their communities. Period.

02-17-2026

Michael Maxwell

Also: Why is Representative Wheeler so OBSESSED with LGBTQ+ people? Anyone else wondering why he seems hyper fixated on using his platform to bully us? Doth the lady protest too much? Its prurient, gross, and an abuse of his position. Find something productive to do, Skyler, and leave us alone. Clean up the water or something, PLEASE.

02-17-2026

Annette Busbee

I'm calling on this subcommittee to vote NO on HSB 720. Under the First Amendment, young people have a constitutional right to receive information. Courts have repeatedly held that the government may not suppress ideas simply because some find them controversial or uncomfortable.In addition, the bill's definition of "ageappropriate" is vague and subjective. Phrases like "developing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral capacity typical for the age" offer no clear legal standard. When librarians and city councils must guess what might be considered inappropriate, the safest course becomes overremoval.This legislation also conditions public funding on compliance. Conditioning state aid on restricting access to protected speech creates significant legal risk. The government may not leverage funding to compel institutions to surrender constitutional protections.Vote NO.

02-17-2026

Molly McNicoll

Please vote no on HSB 720. Our local library board members are volunteers from the community who are nominated for their position by mayors and approved by city councils. To remove these local boards add unneeded burden to local city councils or other governing boards. This proposal also legislates an area that does not need additional oversight beyond the library board and parents of the kids visiting the library. If you are worried about what kids have access to, the better place to focus your efforts is to consider how we can make the internet and social media safer for our kids.

02-17-2026

Christina Kadelka

I would argue that the Ames Public Library is THE best thing this city has going on! They provide a variety of programming, pride themselves on approachability and accommodations, welcome the public for collaborations and ideas not to mention all they do for the underserved in our community, like the homeless. They have a great thing going on And I think adding any more restrictions to what they do would take away from everything that they can currently do. The Supervision of children remains the responsibility of the parents. Just like with the film industry a movie can be rated PG13 or rated R Yet they still show up on public television because it is the parents responsibility. Please do not impose any further restrictions onto our public libraries or threaten to take away their funding

02-17-2026

Linda Smithson [Iowa Association of School LIbrarians]

SB 720 is an omnibus bill that weakens Iowa libraries at their core. It erodes confidentiality protections for minors, undermining young peoples right to read without fear of surveillance. It strips authority from library boards and shifts power to city councils, politicizing decisions that should remain professional and communitydriven. It imposes a vague harmful to minors standard and forces sweeping material reviews, creating an unworkable mandate that diverts staff time and taxpayer dollars from literacy and community services. Finally, it withholds local tax funding for noncompliance, punishing entire communities. SB 720 does not strengthen librariesit destabilizes them. I urge you to oppose this bill.

02-17-2026

Whitney Combes

Pleasevote no! Parents should sensor any minors content if desired, not the implementation of HSB 720 or like legislation. Its censorship which is a clear a violation of rights. Not to mention all of the subsequent consequences of board changes.