Louisiana school and library book laws
Louisiana requires public libraries to limit minors’ access to sexually explicit materials and give parents card-level controls.
Louisiana R.S. 25:225 (2023 library policy / Act 436 lineage) requires public libraries to adopt policies limiting minors’ access to sexually explicit materials: library-card options that restrict checkout of board-identified sexually explicit items, a reconsideration process, and parental control over minor cards (physical and digital). It is a public-library statute, not a school-library rating mandate. 2025 HB 37 (Kids Online Protection and Anti-Grooming Act) is about online platforms, not print ratings.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| R.S. 25:225 Public library sexually explicit materials policy Public libraries must adopt policies limiting minors’ access to sexually explicit materials, including restricted cards, reconsideration, and parental control of minor accounts. | 2023 | In force | Public libraries |
How BookLooky LRS addresses the concern
- Romance intensity scores help boards identify titles for restricted-card lists without treating every theme score as “sexually explicit.”
- Parental card controls pair with free parent lookup of LRS scores on booklooky.com.
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.”