By Jeff Devine, Dale County Chronicle
MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Senate on Tuesday approved a bill that would allow city councils and county commissions to remove members of local library boards without citing a specific cause, expanding the authority of local governments and prompting debate over local control and the role of public libraries.
Senate Bill 26, sponsored by Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Josephine, passed the chamber on a 26-6 vote, mostly along party lines, with one senator, Josh Carnley (R), abstaining. The measure would allow appointing authorities to remove library board members with a two-thirds vote.
According to the bill text, “Each library board member … shall serve at the pleasure of his or her respective appointing authority and may be removed at any time by a two-thirds vote of the appointing authority.” Current law outlines the process for appointing members, but does not specify a process for their removal before their terms expire.
The legislation also states that “the county commission or respective governing body shall fill all vacancies, including expired and unexpired terms,” clarifying that local governing bodies would maintain authority over replacements.
Elliott said the proposal aligns library board governance with other appointed entities in the state and is intended to strengthen local oversight and accountability for institutions funded by city and county taxpayers.
Opponents expressed concern that the bill does not require a reason for removal, which they said could open the door to dismissals based on political disagreements or unpopular decisions, with many saying the bill would further politicize public libraries, which are institutions that have historically remained out of politics and based their services and collections of books solely on the needs of the communities they serve.
Angie Hayden, cofounder of Read Freely Alabama, criticized the measure, stating, “This bill would give the power to dismiss your local library board for any reason at all. They wouldn’t even have to tell you the reason, and that just creates another opportunity for our libraries to be unnecessarily politicized.” Hayden said she believes the legislation could undermine local control and subject libraries to increased political pressure. The Read Freely Alabama group says that 913 letters opposing SB26 have been delivered to legislators. The nearly 1,000 letters demonstrate widespread opposition to the proposed legislation from many individuals in the state.
Meanwhile, supporters of the bill argued that elected officials are best positioned to respond to community concerns and values. Elliott said the legislation is not designed to target specific books or censor library materials, but to provide a clear mechanism for removal if local governing bodies determine it is necessary. However, the bill has been supported by groups hoping to limit free access to certain library materials and content, including those with which they politically disagree. Clean Up Alabama and other groups advocating for limiting the access of materials with which they politically disagree supported the bill, even though public libraries have historically provided books for all groups of people, regardless of political motivations, which often change from year-to-year or term-to-term. We have reached out to two groups supporting the bill, but have yet to receive a response.
Others in the area oppose the bill, including professional librarians. We reached out to two local libraries for comment, and Daleville Public Library Director Rachel Horne responded with the following statement: “I strongly support local boards and local decision-making. Local governments should appoint library board members—that’s appropriate and accountable. However, removal authority should include transparency and a clearly stated cause. Any law written with loose or subjective language risks politicizing institutions that serve the entire community. My concern isn’t partisan—it’s about stability, fairness, and long-term governance. Vague laws are often exploited over time, and when that happens, it’s the public who depends on libraries that feels the impact.”
Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, said volunteers serving on boards should not face removal without cause. Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, raised questions about whether the change could increase pressure on board members amid ongoing debates about library policies.
The legislation comes as libraries across Alabama have faced scrutiny and even public harassment over collection policies and access to certain materials, including books addressing gender identity and other social issues.
One Wiregrass librarian, who spoke with the Dale County Chronicle on the condition of anonymity due to fear of retaliation, had the following to say: “This bill is just plain wrong and is another extreme overreach from the state of Alabama, a state that purports to support republican principles of limited government involvement–small government–, and this legislation flies in the face of those principles. More importantly, if this bill…becomes law, libraries will most assuredly become even more politicized, and the board members may become politlical cronies instead of servants who have volunteered to serve their communities out of a sense of public service and devotion to advancing public libraries and their services to our residents.”
“Public libraries remain one of the last truly open public institutions in our communities. They are among the few remaining free civic spaces that serve every American resident equally, regardless of background, income, political beliefs, or personal identity. Libraries exist to provide access to information, education, enrichment, and opportunity for all, not just for those whom elected officials or shifting politlical winds deem deserving. Their mission has always been rooted in inclusion of everyone, intellectual freedom, free speech, and equal access, and that commitment is what truly makes libraries more essential now more than ever in a healthy democratic republic,” the Wiregrass area librarian added.
The bill is set to take effect Oct. 1, 2026, if approved by the House and signed into law by Governor Kay Ivey.
If enacted, the bill would apply statewide to municipal and county library boards. The legislation now moves to the Alabama House of Representatives for further consideration.
Contact Information for Alabama House Members Serving the Area
If you would like to voice your opposition or support for this bill, you may contact your elected representatives by calling the numbers listed below. Since the vote on the bill will happen any day now, time is crucial if you want your voice heard.
The following members of the Alabama House of Representatives serve portions of Dale, Coffee, Houston, Geneva, and Pike counties.
Rep. Steve Clouse, R-Ozark
House District 93 — Portions of Dale and Houston Counties
Phone: 334-261-0488
Email: [email protected]
Rep. Jeff Sorrells, R-Hartford
House District 87 — Geneva and portions of Houston counties
Phone: 334-248-2511
Email:[email protected]
Rep. Rhett Marques, R-Enterprise
House District 91 — Coffee County
Phone: 334-261-0522
Email: [email protected]
Rep. Chris Sells, R-Greenville
House District 90 — Portions of Coffee County
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 334-261-0439
Rep. Marcus Paramore, R-Troy
House District 89 — Pike County and portions of Dale County
Phone: 334-261-0429
All can be contacted by traditional mail at: Alabama State House
11 South Union St.
Montgomery, AL 36130
TO CONTACT GOVERNOR KAY IVEY, you may call (334) 242-7100 or visit contact.governor.alabama.gov to submit an email to her office. It is important to include SB26 in your message to identify the bill you wish to express your opinions on.
