Illinois leads the way in banning book bans.

Illinois has become the first state to pass a law against the banning of books in public libraries, which has been on the rise across the US as conservatives seek to suppress books dealing with race, history, and LGBTQ topics. The law goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2024, and requires Illinois public libraries to adopt the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights. During the 2021-2022 school year, the push to ban books has accelerated, with issues such as transgender rights and critical race theory becoming political and social flashpoints.