During the Midland County Commissioners Court meeting on Oct. 15, a new policy regarding the organization and regulation of library materials was voted on and approved.
The decision, though not unanimous, will bring changes to how books are managed in county libraries, beginning with grouping them by themes. In addition, any book deemed sexually explicit will be subject to an age restriction and will carry a specific marking to alert parents. The policy requires individuals to be 18 or older to access materials deemed inappropriate for minors.
A review committee was established and approved during the meeting to determine which books fall under this category.
This decision follows the framework of Texas Penal Code Sections 43.21 to 43.28, which regulate the handling and distribution of obscene or sexually explicit content. Specifically, these sections outline that distributing or displaying such content to minors is a criminal offense, and they define "obscene" material as that which appeals to prurient interests or lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors.
This is not the first time Midland has seen efforts to regulate minors' access to explicit books. On March 19, during a regular board meeting of the Midland Independent School District (MISD), several pastors from around the country and former teachers advocated for the reevaluation and relocation of inappropriate books in high schools. In response, Dr. Stephanie Howard reassured attendees that a reevaluation process was underway, and appropriate action would be taken.
The state of Texas has also made efforts in addressing the regulation of sexually explicit material in libraries, particularly in the context of minors' access to such content. In 2023, the READER Act (House Bill 900) was enacted, mandating that school libraries remove sexually explicit materials or implement strict rating systems requiring parental consent for student access.