LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Despite former legislator Jason Rapert's efforts to suspend funding for public libraries that are suing the state, the Arkansas State Library Board unanimously voted to give the libraries their share of the funds at their quarterly meeting on Friday, Feb. 9.
Rapert was appointed to the library board in November by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and was officially confirmed by the Arkansas Senate in December to serve until Oct. 18, 2029.
Earlier in 2023, the legislature passed Act 372, which cracks down on books given to kids that are deemed obscene. Rapert's appointment came at a time when libraries and parents chose to challenge the new law with legal action.
Before the board approved the quarterly disbursements at Friday's meeting, Rapert proposed to suspend the funds of the libraries in litigation with the state.
"I have stated publicly that I am concerned about disbursing funds to any entities that are currently suing the state of Arkansas or Arkansas taxpayers. There are a few of the libraries that we support that are in that category," Rapert said in the February meeting.
The rejected proposal would have impacted the Fayetteville and Eureka Springs Libraries, which are both involved in challenging the new state law. Rapert had previously argued that the state money that funds the libraries would go toward funding legal actions against the state.
"That would not only hurt the library as a building or as an agency, but it would hurt the entire community to have their funds withheld," board member Pamela Meredith said to Rapert's proposal. "So, you would be hurting the people of the state of Arkansas by withholding those funds."
If funds were to be suspended, Meredith also said the library board would be taking a political stance on the matter.
"I don't believe that is our cause ... Our cause is to distribute the funds according to the standards and the rules," she said.
Though, Rapert said it was not a political stance but "good business."
The board failed to second Rapert's motion to suspend the funds. Instead, they motioned to disburse the money to each eligible public library, which unanimously passed.
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