Arkansas Judge Halts Law Criminalizing Librarians for 'Harmful' Materials

A federal judge in Arkansas has issued a preliminary injunction blocking a law that would have allowed criminal charges against librarians and booksellers for providing "harmful" materials to minors. The law, signed by Republican Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, would have also created a process to challenge library materials. The judge's decision was applauded by the ACLU, which argued that the law would have jeopardized First Amendment rights. The lawsuit comes amid a growing trend of conservative states pushing for measures to restrict access to books. Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said his office would review the judge's opinion and continue to defend the law.