Virginia school and library book laws
Virginia SB 656 requires parental notice of sexually explicit instructional materials — and says it shall not be construed as book censorship. It is not a library-ban statute.
Virginia SB 656 (2022) created Va. Code § 22.1-16.8. DOE issues model policies; local boards must notify parents of sexually explicit instructional materials, identify the explicit subjects, allow review, and offer non-explicit alternatives. The statute says it “shall not be construed as requiring or providing for the censoring of books.” A 2025 JLARC study (SJR 251 / HJ 440) found districts often misapplied it to pull library books. BookLooky will not market LRS as a library-ban compliance tool in Virginia.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB 656 Va. Code § 22.1-16.8 sexually explicit instructional materials Parental notice, review, and alternative for sexually explicit assigned instructional materials. Explicitly not a book-censorship statute. | 2022 | In force | Instructional materials |
How BookLooky LRS addresses the concern
- Sexually explicit subject labels for assigned materials map to Romance intensity and related LRS categories.
- Library collections are outside the statute’s design; using LRS to empty shelves would contradict both Virginia’s text and BookLooky’s terms.
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.”