We, the undersigned, petition the Governor of the Great State of SC to take executive action or direct legislators to protect young, innocent, vulnerable children visiting taxpayer funded libraries from vile, explicit, destructive materials. WV and other states have already taken bold steps to protect children. Don’t let SC be last on this critical matter. The exemption below MUST BE REMOVED. SC taxpayer supported libraries have obscene books which exposes young impressionable minds to sexual damaging content inappropriate for minors. As Governor and the chief enforcement officer of this state, the leader of this state, please protect our children.

SC State law …SECTION 16-15-385. Disseminating harmful material to minors and exhibiting harmful performance to minor defined; defenses; penalties.

(C) Except as provided in item of this subsection, mistake of age is not a defense to a prosecution under this section. It is an affirmative defense under this section that:

(2) One of the exceptions to this bill is: the defendant was a school, church, museum, public, school, college, or university library, government agency, medical clinic, or hospital carrying out its legitimate function, or an employee or agent of such an organization acting in that capacity and carrying out a legitimate duty of his employment.