ST. LOUIS – Missouri’s current law calls for county executives and mayors to appoint members of public library boards within their jurisdiction. At least one state lawmaker wants to change that process.

Missouri State Rep. Tony Lovasco (R-O’Fallon) introduced HB 2498 earlier this week, legislation aiming for voters to elect members to public library boards rather than local officials as state statutes require.

According to the bill’s language, “a public library that is authorized by state law to levy or collect taxes of any kind shall be governed by an elected public library board.”

Public libraries and library boards have been a point of contention among some Missouri politicians for the last several years. One rule that took effect last year that threatens funding for Missouri public libraries with “pornographic” or “obscene.” The St. Louis County Library’s Board of Trustees was opposed to the initial proposal, worried that students could be deprived of the freedom to read.

Our news partners at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch report that controversy over the St. Charles County library’s system policies may have had a role in the legislation. The library board heard complaints about books with sexually explicit content being available last year.

Lovasco, a lawmaker based in St. Charles County, recently told the Post-Dispatch, “It’s pretty clear folks are very upset about the content of libraries and the way things are selected and rejected. … The best way to go is to give the people a voice in how these decisions are made.”

His bill also calls for public library boards to have five members, election for library board members during general elections and candidates to not be convicted of any offenses that may affect their ability to serve on the board.

The bill’s language also states, “A candidate may declare a political party affiliation to be listed next to the candidate’s name on the ballot. If a candidate does not declare a political party affiliation, the candidate shall be listed on the ballot as an Independent.”

Furthermore, the bill states the boards with elected members should be responsible for “selecting, curating, and removing materials made available for public lending or use at the public library,” in addition to prospective employees, library events, and facility projects.

The bill is scheduled for a second reading Wednesday on the Missouri House floor and currently does not have any co-sponsors.