Texas lawmakers are about to turn private bookstores into the next battleground for censorship.

House Bill 1375 would allow anyone, including minors and their parents, to sue bookstores for selling or displaying books they claim are "harmful to minors." It would expose local businesses to endless lawsuits and crushing legal costs, even if the material in question is widely available elsewhere. No bookstore would be safe. No book would be safe.

This bill is not about protecting children. It is about silencing bookstores and intimidating businesses into self-censorship. It would punish independent bookstores, make it nearly impossible to sell diverse and challenging literature, and strip communities of their freedom to read.

If HB 1375 passes, Texas could see bookstores shuttered, speech chilled, and communities robbed of access to ideas. Book banning would no longer be limited to public schools and libraries. It would bleed into every corner of public life.

We cannot allow this. Lawmakers must reject HB 1375 and stand up for the right to read, the survival of small businesses, and the freedom of Texans to choose the books they want.

Sign the petition to defend bookstores, free speech, and the future of reading in Texas.