Orange County Judge Blocks Huntington Beach Library Book Restrictions for Minors

An Orange County Superior Court judge ruled against Huntington Beach's attempt to restrict minors' access to books with sexual content in public libraries, citing violation of California's Freedom to Read Act. The city had directed librarians to relocate such books to a restricted section, requiring parental consent for checkout, but the judge found these measures unconstitutional and rejected the city's claim that as a charter city it could override state law. Plaintiffs, including the transgender rights nonprofit Alianza Translatinx, two local teenagers, and the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, challenged the restrictions as censorship targeting topics like puberty, sexual health, and LGBTQ themes. The judge ordered the city to comply with the law and called for a writ of mandate detailing how the city would reverse the restrictions, including removing the restricted books section and list. This ruling was hailed as a victory for democracy and library freedom by plaintiffs and advocates, emphasizing libraries as inclusive and apolitical institutions. The decision also deflected the city's attempt to argue that the state law violated parents' constitutional rights, stating such claims lacked merit and would not be considered.