The North Carolina Senate voted 42–4 April 25 to approve a bill that would require public schools and most public libraries to install Internet filters. The measure, SB 1032, calls for filters on all school computers, and for libraries to install filters on at least one computer. Academic libraries are specifically exempted, as are rural libraries with fewer than four computers.
The bill also requires libraries to adopt acceptable-use policies. Other provisions increase penalties for those helping minors obtain obscene material online and make it illegal to use government computers to access obscenity.
State Librarian Sandra Cooper told American Libraries that librarians were able to convince the Senate Judiciary Committee to remove the library filtering requirement, but the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Howard Lee (D-Orange), restored it on floor, where it was approved by a wide margin.
The measure now moves to the House, where Cooper said it faced a strong likelihood of passage in some form.
Posted April 30, 2001.