Coalition of Texas Bookstores, National Booksellers, Authors and Publishers File Appellate Brief to Uphold Grant of Preliminary Injunction Barring Implementation of Texas Censorship Law

Monday a broad coalition including Texas bookstores, national booksellers, authors and publishers filed an appellate brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, requesting that it affirm the preliminary injunction of the “Reader Act” (formerly HB 900) granted by Judge Alan D. Albright of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division. The Reader Act would require independent bookstores, national chain bookstores, large online book retailers, book publishers and other vendors to review and rate millions of books and other library materials according to sexual content if those books are sold to school libraries, and to do so according to vague labels dictated by the state without any process for judicial review. On September 18th of this year, Judge Albright issued a written opinion granting a preliminary injunction, ruling that the Act “likely violates the First Amendment by containing an unconstitutional prior restraint, compelled speech, and unconstitutional vagueness.” The State defendants filed an appeal later that day. Oral argument is scheduled for Wednesday, November 29th.
more at: https://publishers.org/news/coalition-of-texas-bookstores-national-booksellers-authors-and-publishers-file-appellate-brief-to-uphold-grant-of-preliminary-injunction-barring-implementation-of-texas-censorship-law/