Holly Dickson, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, said the law “was an attempt to ‘thought police,’ and this victory over totalitarianism is a testament to the courage of librarians, booksellers and readers who refused to bow to intimidation.”

The law, which threatened imprisonment if librarians or booksellers provided ‘harmful’ content to minors, violates the First Amendment, a federal judge ruled.

A federal judge struck down key parts of an Arkansas law that would have allowed criminal charges against librarians and booksellers for providing "harmful" materials to minors.

Republicans passed the law in 2023, joining other conservative states and counties that have sought to restrict the availability of certain books.