What some have called book banning a bill by proponents of an anti obscenity measure.
They claim they just want to protect kids from harmful materials.
They say critics are painting a distorted picture of what they really want to do.
Senate Bill five calls for local school boards to have a policy to deal with parent complaints about materials in schools, events or programing they find objectionable and don't want their kids exposed to.
On the House floor last night, the bill's supporters made their case.
We are not talking about banning books in this bill.
We are talking about protecting children in this common wealth from examples of extreme sexual exposure to materials, to events, to programs that the courts have already ruled and have already said are in violation of what is considered obscene and what is considered as as prurient or extreme sexual interest.
So you have to ask your kid yourself this question Why?
Why are they being exposed to these things?
What is the reasoning behind it?
And I would I would venture tonight to say that part of the reason behind it is because inside of our education system, our activists that are working to sexualize our children and that are working to gain the minds of our children and pervert them.
Louisville State representative and Democrat Josie Raymond said the measure will burden school board members and said material the bill's proponents have propped up as objectionable often addresses critical issues young people face and find themselves represented in.
This bill raises the question Who exactly are we listening to?
We are not listening to the parents who are scared for the lives of their trans children.
We are not listening to the parents who are unable to house their kids after natural disasters.
We are not listening to the parents who are unable to afford child care.
We continue to listen to people who misunderstand the concept of liberty, the people who ignore the individuality of our kids, and the people who vastly, vastly underestimate them.
Senate Bill five was approved by the House on a vote of 8218 last night and now heads to the governor's office for his review.
If he vetoes the measure.
The Republican dominated legislature has enough votes to override it.