The Missouri Secretary of State, the Missouri Attorney General, and a state Senator from western Missouri have threatened funding to a public library in Columbia, Missouri after it hosted a story hour to welcome LGBTQ+ families.
Boone County Public Library hosted a “Rainbow Story Hour” to read two books: Rainbowsaurus and Big Wig for children. It was attended by about 100 families and friends. The day before the event, Secretary of State Denny Hoskins sent out a public letter to the library saying he wanted to cut any state-issued funding if they continued.
In a press conference Tuesday, Hoskins elaborated:
“If it’s not illegal, then we’re going to be working with the Legislature. I’ve had several legislators that have called out to me and said, hey, if this is not illegal, we want to file bills to ensure this is illegal in the future. And that’s also why I reached out to our Senate Appropriations Chairman, Rusty Black, as well as our House Budget Chairman, Bill Owen, to make sure that we aren’t funding these type of events through taxpayer dollars.”
The library director Robin Westphal said Hoskins did not speak to her about the books or event. She spoke to Missourinet the day of the event:
“It feels like that being part of that community is being presented as being inherently wrong. It is not illegal to be gay. We see this. We see families that are in the story time right now where it’s two moms and their kiddos or two dads. And actually we have people in story times, the mom and the dad are both there, and they’re just supportive.”
Rick Brattin, a Republican state Senator from Cass County, across the state from Boone County, issued a sunshine request for Boone County’s event’s organization, advertising, materials, personnel and expenditures dating back to January of 2025 . He also asked for “information about other LGBTQ+-themed library programming directed toward toddlers or preschool-aged children.”
The library responded and the Missouri Independent reports “The additional cost to Daniel Boone Regional Library for the event was $26 — $18 for a prop wig and $8 for contact paper. Everything else came from resources the public already owns.” The library says it will provide the rest of the materials by September 21.
Both Brattin and Hoskins vow to inspect every library for funding of LGBTQ events and to take the issue to the upcoming legislative session.
“It’s making sure that that not one lifestyle that that is sexualizing children is being pushed upon them. And let’s be really, you know, we need to protect children to where they’re not, you know, getting mixed messages.,” Brattin said
State Representative Wick Thomas reads from Rainbowsaurus book at press conference July 28, 2026 (Missourinet photo)
State Representative Wick Thomas, D-Jackson County, a former Librarian, held a press conference after Hoskins and Brattin at the Missouri Capitol Tuesday. He calls their actions are government censorship and harmful.
“I came out at 16 in rural Missouri, actually in the same district that Senator Bratton represents now, which is why it is especially infuriating that his language and this political stunt that he’s using for his campaign is going to harm kids like me. Kids who grew up in rural Missouri who were just looking for community while legislators in the Missouri State Capitol made their lives harder and convinced their families to turn away from them,” he said.”
Director Wesphal says the library will fight if needed, as Hoskins, Brattin and Catherine Hanaway vow to inspect all public libraries for how it presents LGBTQ+ content.
“This is what other libraries and other communities wish they could do but they’re afraid to do,” she said. “The fact that we have so much support here from our supportive board, our supportive staff, and our supportive community, we’re able to do something that other libraries just can’t because of that fear.”