ACLU, FIRE say a dead bill is good news in Florida book banning fight

First Amendment advocates fighting Florida’s book bans are celebrating a dead bill in the 2026 Session.

HB 1119 sought to ban public schools from considering a book’s literary, artistic, political or scientific value when deciding whether to remove books.

“The bill’s failure to pass during the regular legislative session is great news for students’ First Amendment rights,” said Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) Director of Public Advocacy Aaron Terr in a statement. “If passed, it would have significantly expanded the government’s power to ban books from school libraries, likely resulting in removal of many books with literary and educational value.

For the second year in a row, HB 1119 passed in the House but then it died in the Senate. Friday was Sine Die, although lawmakers will return for a Special Session to finish the budget.

“The fact that the Senate companion was not even heard in a committee hearing shows that Floridians are tired of politicians inserting themselves into their children’s classrooms,” said ACLU of Florida’s senior campaign strategist Abdelilah Skhir.

The bill drew fierce debate from advocates during its House committee stops. FIRE also sent a letter to the Senate, urging the upper chamber to kill the legislation.

Bill sponsor Rep. Doug Bankson, an Apopka Republican, fought for HB 1119 because he said some pornographic books still remain on the shelves despite Florida’s 2023 law that makes it easier for adults to flag books they found inappropriate.

“This bill solely addresses materials in public schools or school libraries for children that contain obscenity or in more common terms blatant pornographic and sexually explicit content,” Bankson told a House panel in January during one committee stop.

Bankson’s bill earned the support of House Republicans and a few House Democrats too.

“I’m going to speak for my heart. I have no problem voting for this bill. … There are some things that simply should be kept from the ear gates and the eye gates of our children”  said Rep. Kim Daniels, a Jacksonville Democrat and a pastor, during the committee process. She voted for it later too when HB 1119 passed the House with a 84-28 vote.

But First Amendment advocates warned HB 1119 failed to take into account that some books are appropriate for certain ages and stripped school districts and librarians’ power to use judgement.

“Local school boards and teachers should determine what is appropriate for their communities, not politicians,” Skhir said. “Free speech is a check on government power. If the government can ban books and silence educators today, it can come for you tomorrow.”