[1] Sections one and five of Arkansas Act 372 expose librarians and booksellers to criminal penalties,[2] which includes up to a year in prison, in the case they distribute materials such as books, magazines, and movies deemed "harmful to minors.
The primary purpose of Act 372 is to permit books in public libraries to be banned or transferred.
[3] Act 372 also permits librarians and booksellers to face up to a year in prison if they allow children to have access to banned books.
[5] In July 2023, U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks granted plaintiffs’ request to temporary enjoin two of the five sections of Act 372, saying that parts of the law arts violate freedoms under First Amendment.
[6] Supporters of the new rule argue the legislation would safeguard children from "indoctrination" and concerns regarding the teaching of race and racism in US history, sexual preference, and gender identity as well.