Alabama’s public libraries are governed by local boards for a reason. Libraries exist to serve their communities, not the political interests of politicians. For decades, Alabama’s library boards have operated with independence, stability, and clear statutory authority to protect the freedom to read, manage collections responsibly, and shield library staff and patrons from political pressure. SB26 would dismantle that system.
On January 28, SB26 passed the Senate County and Municipal Government Committee 6–1 and now heads to the full Senate. The sponsor is Sen. Chris Elliott, the committee chair. An amendment was included that removed a reporting requirement, but the central danger of SB26 remains unchanged. The bill lets county commissions and city councils remove library board members at any time, without cause, by a two-thirds vote.
Read Freely Alabama is disappointed that the Senate committee chose to pass a bill blatantly designed to wrest decision-making authority from local library boards and put it in the hands of politicians. We encourage every Alabamian to call their state senator and ask them to kill this dangerous bill. Our libraries have experienced enough political strife already.
Currently, library board members serve fixed terms, providing continuity and protection from political retaliation.
SB26 would make board members serve “at the pleasure” of their appointing authority. In practice, that means library Trustees could be removed for any reason, including refusing censorship demands. Fixed terms would no longer protect them. No finding of misconduct is required.
Supporters of the bill have dismissed these concerns by arguing that library board members are “just volunteers.” But library trustees are entrusted with governing public institutions, protecting constitutional rights, and supporting professional standards, not simply carrying out political directives.
SB26’s timing is no accident. The Alabama Public Library Service Board has recently enforced bans on “gender ideology” materials and withheld funding from libraries that refused to comply. Local library boards are one of the last checks against these discriminatory policies. SB26 weakens this by making trustees removable for standing their ground. In this context, SB26 functions as a coercive enforcement tool, not a governance reform.
Alabama’s libraries have faced years of manufactured controversy and legal expense. SB26 would make instability permanent. SB26 weakens local governance, strips library boards of independence, and enables political coercion. It doesn’t protect families, improve transparency, or respect professional standards.
