A bill that would have exposed booksellers to lawsuits over materials deemed inappropriate for children appears dead in the Texas House after missing key deadlines.
House Bill 1375 would allow people to sue bookstores for selling or displaying books that are considered “harmful” to children. Supporters argue the measure is meant to protect young readers from obscene content, but critics warned it could open the door to widespread censorship.
The bill, filed by Rep. Nate Schatzline, R-Fort Worth, did not get a second reading on the House floor last week, making it effectively dead for this legislative session. However, the bill could technically still be revived as an amendment tacked on to another bill in the legislature.
Schatzline did not respond to KERA’s calls and emails for comment, but he told the House Judiciary and Civil Prudence Committee, “obscene displays, especially those targeted at children, can be extremely detrimental to a child's well-being,” according to the bill’s analysis.
Dallas-based Half Price Books was a vocal opponent of the legislation, warning it placed an unrealistic burden on sellers and effectively required them to screen every title for potential objections.
In an interview with KERA News, company President Kathy Doyle Thomas said she's still concerned about similar efforts in the future.
The legislation would have threatened all independent booksellers, and shifted responsibility away from families onto businesses, she said.
“If you don’t want your child to read a book, then take it away from them,” Doyle Thomas said. “That is your right as a parent — not to tell me what I can and can’t read.”
