On July 1, Michigan state representative Nancy Cassis (R-Novi) introduced a bill that would require "the governing body" of any library that serves the public, including those in schools and higher-education institutions, to "require that the library restrict access to minors" to the Internet. The bill defines compliance as having at least one filtered terminal for patrons under 18 and banning unchaperoned youngsters from using unfiltered workstations.
HB 5982 has been referred to the House Committee on Advanced Technology and Computer Development.
ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom reports that the Michigan bill is among a dozen such filtering mandates to be considered by state lawmakers in the last legislative year.
Posted July 20, 1998.