SANDPOINT — Concern over political petition-gathering has prompted the East Bonner County Library District to begin revisions to the policy.

"The policy is not great, it's incorrect and it needs to be updated," EBCLD Director Vanessa Velez told board members at Monday's meeting.

Under the proposed policy, petitioning will be separated into its own policy and made easier for patrons to find on the district's website.

Individuals will need to let library staff know they are present, but permission is not required. In addition, they will have to stand 15 feet away from library entrances. Because the library is a limited public forum due to its nature, no such activity can take place inside the library.

Because the matter is a First Amendment issue, Velez said the library cannot ban petitioning outright.

"People do have the right to do that," Velez said. "However, we can control the time and the manner, but we can't control the activity itself from occurring."

The proposed policy is being sent to the library's legal counsel for review to ensure it balances free speech with community concerns.

After 30 minutes of testimony, the library board voted to table the policy on petitioning to give EBCLD staff time to update the district's code of conduct to clarify petitioning rules.

Concern over the policy was prompted by a recent signature‑gathering effort by supporters of the Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act initiative. Supporters said the effort was no different than past drives for other issues, while critics said it gives the appearance the library district is taking sides on a contentious issue.

While the group did not have prior permission to gather signatures — something the library district has allowed on a variety of issues in the past — Velez said she allowed them to stay. She explained the library's code of conduct and told them not to impede or interfere with library patrons.

Critics of petitioning at the site said the library serves a variety of political and moral viewpoints and, as such, should be neutral.

"As a taxpayer-funded institution, our library serves many different political and moral viewpoints," said Janine Shepard, executive director of Life Choice Pregnancy Center and the 7B Care Clinic. "When political petitioning is permitted on library grounds, especially on an issue that is deeply contested, it can create the appearance that the library is aligning itself on one side of a political debate."

Shepard called on the library to draft a "clearly written, viewpoint‑neutral policy that ensures equal access for all perspectives." She asked the board to review its policies on political activity to ensure they are applied to all viewpoints equally and to reaffirm the library's commitment to neutrality.

"It could go anywhere and get out of control," said David Barnes, who called on the board to ban petitioning. "The right of assembly doesn't mean you get to assemble anywhere you want, and the sidewalk is public space. No doubt about it, the library should be a nonpartisan zone."

Praising the board on how it handled masking during the COVID pandemic, one resident said the library district was able to craft a policy that kept everyone safe regardless of their views on masking. Now, she said, the board is being asked to step into another partisan issue, with some trying to "trample" on the rights of others.

"In the 10 years of signature gathering that I have done, I have never seen a gatherer block or intimidate anyone, much less children," the woman said.

While the district needs to — and should — revise the policy, supporters of allowing petition‑gathering called on the board not to ban the practice at the site.

"Taking away free speech rights isn't an answer," one woman said.

Supporters of allowing petitions said the issue isn't about politics but about free speech. One woman who has gathered signatures in the past said she works to avoid blocking or pressuring library patrons.

Velez said she appreciated the constructive feedback and hearing from people on both sides of the issue.

While the policy lists petitioning as unacceptable behavior, it also notes that it is allowable with permission from the library director and must not intimidate library patrons or block access into or from the building.

"The problem with this policy is that it implies the director … has the authority to deny expressive activities protected by the First Amendment," Velez said.

The policy, as written, gives the impression that one group can have permission while another cannot, Velez said.

"That is absolutely incorrect," she added.