Arkansas Library Law Targets 'Obscene' Material — Liability, Definitions Unclear

Appeals court allows state to enforce law restricting library materials

A federal appeals court ruled Thursday that Arkansas’ 2023 law restricting access to library materials can go into effect, three years after a judge blocked two sections of the law on First Amendment grounds.

Arkansas library law targets 'obscene' material — liability, definitions unclear

Librarians in Arkansas could now face criminal charges for handing out materials considered "obscene" or "harmful to minors," after a federal appeals court cleared the way for the state to enforce a law that had been blocked for three years.