Cape Coral Breeze By Valarie Harring 4/16/2024 First Amendment Foundation urges Cape Coral City Council to revisit ban time periods as they ‘could unlawfully infringe’ on citizen rights The First Amendment Foundation has sent a letter to the city strongly urging a rework of recent rule changes that allow Cape Coral City Council to impose […]

Reason By CJ Ciaramella 4/12/2024 The law makes it a misdemeanor to approach within 25 feet of a first responder after receiving a verbal warning to stay away. Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law today that will prohibit bystanders from getting too close to police and other first responders. The legislation, Senate […]

USA Today Network By Douglas Soule 2/15/2024 The Florida Senate has a message for those who get too close to cops: Get out of their way or go to jail. Senators unanimously passed a bill Thursday that would create a first-degree misdemeanor for anyone who defies a warning and “impedes” police or other first responders […]

SB 184 Endangers the First Amendment Rights of Citizens to Observe and Film Police Join the First Amendment Foundation in urging Governor Desantis to veto this bill which would infringe on Floridians’ First Amendment rights Despite testimony from the First Amendment Foundation warning legislators that it would have unintended First Amendment implications, SB 184 – […]

When an illustrated edition of Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” was released in 2019, educators in Clayton, Missouri needed little debate before deciding to keep copies in high school libraries. The book is widely regarded as a classic work of dystopian literature about the oppression of women, and a graphic novel would help it reach […]

March 27, 2024 By Jay A Wagner and David Cuillier SageJournals Abstract The journalism industry was central to the materialization of U.S. freedom of information (FOI) laws, yet journalists frequently voice dissatisfaction with the state of FOI laws. The study surveyed 330 public records requesters on their experiences with FOI laws, finding public-interest requesters (journalists, […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 11, 2024 CONTACT: Nellie Louis, nlouis@floridabar.org Communications TELEPHONE: 850-561-5764   Nominations are now open for 2024 The Parker Thomson Awards for Outstanding Legal Journalism in Florida and the Susan Spencer-Wendel Lifetime Achievement Award. Submit nominations before the April 30, 2024 entry deadline. The first-place award recipients for The Parker Thomson Awards […]

NBC News By Lawrence Hurley March 15, 2024 Former President Donald Trump’s frequent use of Twitter lurked in the background as the justices weighed whether an official’s online activities can constitute government action. WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ruled Friday that members of the public in some circumstances can sue public officials for blocking them […]

The Tallahassee Democrat By Jeff Burlew March 15, 2024 However, the Leon County Clerk of Court, relying on both the Marsy’s Law decision and guidance from the Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers association, took an entirely different tack. After the Florida Supreme Court held that Marsy’s Law can’t be used to hide the identities of law enforcement who used […]

Florida Today March 8, 2024 What flourished and what flopped at the end of the Sunshine State’s annual 60-day legislative get-together. Every legislative session is different, but one thing was the same this year: When the governor’s not happy, nobody’s happy. And at the end of the day, the man in the mansion’s got to be […]

Florida Today By Douglas Soule March 1, 2024 Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday vetoed legislation that would have banned social media for minors younger than 16 and required age verification to access pornographic websites. But both he and lawmakers promised “a different, superior bill” that he would approve. DeSantis said in a post on X, formerly known as […]

The Florida Pheonix By Michael Moline February 27, 2024 Sponsor: ‘There’s nothing to trade, nothing to negotiate on. President Passidomo is going to kill it.’ The House and Senate sponsors of legislation to tighten Florida’s defamation law against media organizations conceded Tuesday that the measure is falling short as the regular session winds to a […]

The National Review By Jim Schwartzel February 27, 2024 Florida legislators have identified a real problem, but they are responding to it with bills that would harm free speech. A pair of proposed laws in Florida would threaten free speech by opening up conservative media outlets to liability and a torrent of lawsuits. But the proposals […]

Freedom of the Press Foundation By the Freedom of the Press Foundation Staff February 22, 2024 Federal prosecutors in Florida have obtained a disturbing indictment against well-known journalist Tim Burke. The indictment could have significant implications for press freedom, not only by putting digital journalists at risk of prosecution but by allowing the government to permanently seize a journalist’s […]

Tampa Bay Times By Lawrence Mower February 22, 2024 TALLAHASSEE — A group of Christian broadcasters called it “deeply flawed.” Conservative Florida radio host and former U.S. Rep. Trey Radel said it would “destroy conservative media.” The New York Post’s editorial board called it “utterly mad” and “insanely overreaching.” Florida Republican-sponsored legislation that was originally […]

The Daily Beast By Corbin Bolies February 21, 2024 Newsmax has joined the legions of conservative media outlets and figures who have trashed a pair of Florida GOP bills that ostensibly aim to curb so-called “liberal media” by loosening the definition of defamation. “Newsmax strongly opposes both bills and any proposed law that makes it […]

Orlando Sentinel By Steven Lemongello February 21, 2024 Despite growing pressure from conservatives, the Florida House is poised to take up a bill that would make it easier for public officials to win defamation lawsuits against traditional and online news organizations. The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday approved the measure (HB 757), its last stop […]

Tallahassee Democrat By Doug Soule February 21, 2024 Longtime Donald Trump adviser Stephen Miller came out swinging Wednesday against Florida legislation that would, among other things, make it easier to launch and win defamation lawsuits. And he wound up not being alone. “If Florida passes the proposed law to lower the standard for defamation expect leftist’ plaintiffs […]

Hot Air By Ed Morrisey February 20, 2024 Florida Republicans want to change defamation laws in the state to hold mainstream-media outlets more accountable for fake news. They might instead write a death warrant for smaller alternative media platforms, especially conservative media, while turning Florida into a “libel tourism destination,” one radio host warns. The axiom Be […]

Daily Caller By Michael Farris February 19, 2024 Conservatives have a legitimate concern about media bias — especially as administered by the social media giants. Suppression of conservative voices is well-documented and has even been instigated by the Biden White House and other agencies of this administration. But conservatives should be the last ones to […]

Miami Herald Miami Herald Editorial Board 2/13/2024 The Right to Rock Act advancing in the Florida Legislature aims to address another issue realted to our still-simmering culture wars — a First Amendment question of whether entertainment venues can cancel shows due to an artist’s expressed political views. Senate Bill 1206 and House Bill 15 would […]

Florida Politics Drew Steel 02/13/2024 ‘Florida has led the way in defending freedom of conscience and expanding educational choice. It would be a mistake to stand liberty on its head in a crusade against biased reporters and pundits.’ The legislative impulse behind Florida’s proposed libel laws — HB 757 and SB 1780 — is understandable. Conservatives are justifiably outraged […]

The Naples Press Trey Radel 01/19/2024 Florida Republican lawmakers are once again on the attack against liberal mainstream media. Their goal is to pass a new bill making it easier to sue news organizations and hold them accountable for their distortions of the truth. It sounds great in theory, but I believe conservative media will, […]

Tallahassee Democrat Douglas Soule 01/05/2024 In May 2023, the FBI raided the home of a Florida journalist who published an unedited Fox News video of the rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, making antisemitic comments. Now, a multitude of press and civil rights organizations are calling for more transparency from the federal government about […]

Orlando Sentinel Leslie Postal 12/20/2023 A total of 673 books, from classics to best-sellers, have been removed from Orange County classrooms this year for fear they violate new state rules that ban making “sexual conduct” available to public school students. The list of rejected books, which the district began compiling during the summer, will get another review […]

Pensacola News Journal Jim Little 12/08/2023 Florida Rep. Alex Andrade is bringing back a “pared down” version of a bill that makes it easier for public figures to win defamation lawsuits. Critics say it would upend nearly 60 years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent regarding free speech and create a “chilling effect” around the use […]

Florida Today Doug Soule 12/04/2023 Florida’s government is arguing that school districts have a First Amendment right to remove LGBTQ books. Or any book, for that matter. It’s a contention that First Amendment experts and advocates call extreme and chilling. But the state maintains the books on school shelves represent protected government speech. Public school […]

WFLA Rachel Tucker 11/30/2023 TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida law granting certain rights to crime victims does not apply to the Tallahassee police officers whose identities were concealed after using lethal force, the Florida Supreme Court said Thursday. The court overturned a decision from the First Court of Appeal, which ruled in favor of […]

Miami New Times Naomi Feinstein 11/28/2023 Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office has settled a federal lawsuit brought by activist Thomas Kennedy, who alleged his civil rights were violated when he was banned from attending the governor’s press conferences and placed on a “situational awareness” flyer by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). Kennedy filed the federal […]

Politico By Gary Fineout 11/17/2023 TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A Florida law blocking Gov. Ron DeSantis’ publicly funded travel records from the public is unconstitutional and the state should be required to turn them over, asserts a legal challenge filed by The Washington Post. The Post’s lawsuit marks the first effort to challenge the law, which […]

CNN politics By Ariane de Vogue and Devan Cole 11/16/2023 The Florida law that limits drag shows in the state will remain blocked, the Supreme Court said Thursday, dealing a blow to a key initiative championed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Florida had asked the high court to narrow a lower court’s injunction that stopped the law from […]

USA Today Network By Douglas Soule and Eric Rogers 10/13/2023 As Israel-Hamas war protests wage across Florida college campuses, safety concerns are mixing with ones about free speech protections. An influential Florida lawmaker’s call to expel college students expressing support for the surprise attack on Israel may run into First Amendment issues, experts warn. Rep. Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay, released a letter […]

First Amendment Foundation 10/04/2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE An FBI raid on the home newsroom of Florida journalist Tim Burke in May prompted over 50 organizations to send a letter to the Department of Justice today demanding transparency about how the government believes Burke’s newsgathering broke the law. Burke is perhaps most well known for his 2013 reporting for Deadspin […]