By Steven Allen Adams, The Parkersburg News and Sentinel
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Lawmakers could open another front in the culture wars by lifting criminal liability protections for schools and libraries for carrying books some consider obscene.
The House Judiciary Committee was set to take up House Bill 4654 Monday afternoon, but the legislation was removed from the agenda. Instead, the committee hosted a public hearing Wednesday morning in the House chamber to hear from supporters and opponents.
The bill would lift criminal liability exemptions from schools in the presentation of local or state-approved curriculum or public libraries and museums displaying obscene matter to a minor when the child is accompanied by a parent/guardian.
State Code defines obscene matter as anything an average person believes depicts or describes sexually explicit conduct, nudity, sex or certain bodily functions; or anything a reasonable person would find lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value. According to State Code 61-8A-2, any adult who knowingly and intentionally displays obscene matter to a minor could be charged with a felony, fined up to $25,000 and face up to five years in prison if convicted.
Supporters of the bill read experts from books they deemed to be obscene to committee members Wednesday. Wood County resident Jessica Rowley held up the book “Let’s Talk About It” by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan as an example of an obscene book in local schools and libraries. The book is a graphic novel aimed at young people talking in detail about sex and relationships.
“It was in Parkersburg South High School and was put in the library by a high school principal,” Rowley said. “Is this what our children to read?”