Arkansas school and library book laws
Arkansas Act 372 can take effect again after a 2026 Eighth Circuit ruling; HB 1646 locks K–5 sexual content.
Arkansas Act 372 (2023) created a challenge and relocation process for “harmful to minors” materials and criminal exposure for furnishing those items. A federal district court injunction was reversed by the Eighth Circuit in July 2026 (Fayetteville Public Library v. Crawford County), so the law can take effect while litigation continues. Separately, HB 1646 (2025) requires K–5 media centers to lock non-age-appropriate sexual content and obtain written parental permission to view or check it out, with progressive educator discipline.
Act 372 was enjoined in district court; the Eighth Circuit reversed that injunction in July 2026. Merits litigation may continue.
Not legal advice. Confirm the enrolled text and any injunction before changing policy. LRS is informational and must not be the sole basis for removing books.
Bills and rules
| Measure | Year | Status | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Act 372 Harmful-to-minors challenge and relocation Challenge/relocation process for harmful materials; criminal liability theories for furnishing harmful items to minors. Adult-only areas are a compliance path discussed in the litigation. | 2023 | In force | School and public libraries |
| HB 1646 K–5 locked sexual content K–5 media centers must lock non-age-appropriate sexual content; written parental permission to view or check out; progressive discipline up to license revocation. | 2025 | In force | School libraries |
How BookLooky LRS addresses the concern
- Love & Romance intensity scores help staff flag titles for K–5 lock-and-permission workflows under HB 1646.
- Age bands support youth vs. adult-section cataloging contemplated by Act 372 relocation.
- Official full-text LRS reports with excerpt citations support challenge files — they are not a legal finding that a book is “harmful to minors.”
Story theme scores (including LGBTQ+ representation) measure presence in the plot. They are not warnings and are not a lawful stand-in for “harmful to minors.”