POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – Democrats in Idaho have launched a statewide day of protest in response to the new library law that went into effect Monday morning.

Across the state, demonstrators have gathered outside libraries to protest the passage of House Bill 710.

The law is designed to prevent minors from accessing age-inappropriate material. Under the new legislation, parents or children can take legal action if libraries do not move the material to an adult-only area.

If negligence is found, the library must pay a fine of $250. Plaintiffs may also be awarded unlimited damages.

The state's Democrats called the law a “direct attack” on the freedoms of Idaho residents.

“The library book bounty passed by Republican politicians is a direct attack on our freedom to make choices for ourselves and our families,” said Lauren Necochea, chair of the Idaho Democratic Party. “We are standing up to protect our libraries from the book banners, support our librarians and ensure our children have access to a wide range of books that reflect diverse perspectives.”

As part of the day of action, Democrats are calling on Republican lawmakers who voted for the law. Local News 8 has asked several state representatives for comment.

Rep. Wendy Horman says the law defines “obscene” using the Miller test (a fundamental legal test used by the Supreme Court to determine whether a book or other form of expression is pornographic).

Horman disputes Democrats' claims that the bill amounts to a book ban. She believes the new legislation is necessary to ensure that minors are not exposed to material that is not accessible to them.

“We're not stopping parents from going to the bookstore and buying these books to show their children or requesting them from the library,” Horman said. “It used to be that pornography was available at the checkout counters in grocery stores, and there were laws that said you just had to put it behind the counter. And that's the equivalent of what we're asking for here: that children be protected from obscene and age-inappropriate material.

Over the past five years, the number of books being challenged in American libraries has increased exponentially.

In 2020, a total of 156 books were rejected. In 2023, this number rose to 4,240, according to the American Library Association.

Click HERE to see a complete list of controversial and banned books.