First Amendment Victory in Florida

Jacob Sullum | May 28, 2009

Last October I noted that a federal judge had suspended enforcement of an incredibly broad Florida law requiring any group that mentions a candidate or ballot measure in a newsletter or online to register with the state as an "electioneering communications organization," file regular spending reports, and disclose its donors. Responding to a lawsuit filed by the Institute for Justice, U.S. District Judge Stephan Mickle noted that "no court has ever upheld such a sweeping regulation of political speech." Last week Mickle declined to break new ground in this area, ruling that the state legislature ""does not have the power to regulate purely political discussions about elections." The state plans to appeal.

I.J.'s press release is here.