The Utah State Board of Education has announced that a 14th book has been banned statewide. The book, Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott (2008), has been banned by three school districts (Davis, Washington, Toole) under the new “Objective Sensitive Material” standard that was signed into law by Governor Cox in 2024.

Utahns who care about the Freedom to Read are encouraged to pay close attention to their ballots in the 2024 election.

We have three updates for you this week.

1. September 22-28 is Banned Books week and Let Utah Read is co-sponsoring two events. See below and our Events Page for more information

2. T-shirts are now available!

3. HB29 “Sensitive Materials” Law Update

In 2024, the legislature passed HB29 “Sensitive Material Review Amendments. The bill takes a standard of indecency that regulates public displays and applies it to books in school libraries. This effectively classifies hundreds of books and classic works of literature as “criminal porn” and puts teachers, librarians, authors and any individual who provides access to these books to a minor at risk for criminal prosecution.