BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 1601
88R7771 MZM-D	By: Hughes
	State Affairs
	3/21/2023
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

In recent years a national 501c(3) called "Drag Queen Story Hour" has begun to encourage and host events in libraries across the country. Several municipal libraries in Texas have hosted such events. The state provides public money and grants to municipal libraries.

S.B. 1601 would deny state funding to municipal libraries that host drag story hours or otherwise host events where persons presenting as the opposite sex read books to children for entertainment.

As proposed, S.B. 1601 amends current law relating to prohibiting municipal libraries that host certain events from receiving state funding.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 315, Local Government Code, by adding Section 315.0051, as follows:

Sec. 315.0051. PROHIBITED EVENTS AT MUNICIPAL LIBRARIES. Prohibits a municipal library from receiving state funds if the library hosts an event at which a man presenting as a woman or a woman presenting as a man reads a book or a story to a minor for entertainment and the person being dressed as the opposite gender is a primary component of the entertainment. Requires that state funds for the municipal library be denied for the fiscal year following the year in which the library hosts an event described by this section.

SECTION 2. Makes application of this act prospective.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2023.