TEXAS would set new standards and ratings for “sexually explicit” material in order to ban books from public and charter school libraries, under a Bill given final passage by the state senate on Tuesday night before being sent to Republican Governor Greg Abbott.

The move is the latest attempt to ban or regulate reading material in conservative states across the United States. 

Critics say materials dealing with LGBT subject matter are more likely to be targeted for bans by Republican lawmakers.

The Bill, passed by the Republican-controlled legislature, defines “sexually explicit material” as anything that includes descriptions, illustrations or audio depicting sexual conduct not relevant to required school curriculum subjects, and prohibits it from school libraries.

Governor Abbott is part of a Republican lawmakers’ campaign to investigate the use of a list of more than 800 books in schools covering topics of race, gender identity and sexual orientation. 

In April, leaders of a rural central Texas county considered closing their public library system rather than follow a federal judge’s order to return books to the shelves on themes ranging from teen sexuality and gender to bigotry and race.

In another move towards halting what the Republicans refer to as the “woke agenda,” Montana on Tuesday became the first US state to ban people dressed in drag from reading to children in schools and libraries. 

This was part of a host of laws aimed at the rights of the LGBT community in Montana and other states.

Bills in Florida and Tennessee also appear to try to ban drag reading events, but face legal challenges.

Montana’s law defines such an event as one hosted by a drag king or queen who reads children's books to minors — there is no requirement for a sexual element for it to be banned.

This makes Montana’s law the first to specifically ban drag reading events, said Sasha Buchert, an attorney with Lambda Legal, a national organisation that seeks to protect the civil rights of the LGBT community and those diagnosed with HIV and Aids.

“It’s just constitutionally suspect on all levels,” Ms Buchert said on Tuesday, arguing the Bill limits free speech and seeks to “chill an effort that helps transgender youth know they are not alone.”

Governor Greg Gianforte signed the Bill, saying he “believes it’s wildly inappropriate for little kids, especially pre-schoolers and kids in elementary school, to be exposed to sexualised content,” spokesperson Kaitlin Price said in a statement.