Summary

A federal judge ruled parts of Arkansas Act 372 unconstitutional, blocking provisions that imposed criminal penalties on librarians and booksellers for distributing material deemed “harmful to children.”

Signed into law in 2023 by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the act faced legal challenges from groups like the ACLU, arguing it was overly broad and could lead to censorship.

The ruling prevents enforcement of sections requiring oversight boards and criminalizing distribution of contested materials.

Sanders vowed to appeal, while library advocates hailed the decision as a victory against censorship.