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ASNE Fights to Protect Free Speech in Texas; How You Can Help

On February 28, ASNE announced that we have joined the Protect Free Speech Coalition, a “coalition of organizations that understands and values the importance of the Texas Citizens Participation Act.” At the time, we were just preparing for the introduction of legislation which we feared would significantly impact the state's version of an Anti-SLAPP law. 

That legislation has now been introduced in both the Texas House (as HB 2730) and Senate (as SB 2162). The time for action is here.  

ASNE has sent a letter to every member of the Texas House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee and the Texas Senate Committee on State Affairs opposing these changes. We hope that our members will do the same. It's not that hard; our letter was based on a sample letter available on the Protect Free Speech Coalition website. You are invited to modify that letter for your use or draft your own. 

Of course public awareness will help as well. This page (which also provides a link to the sample letter) also has information about the Protect Free Speech Coalition Facebook and Twitter feeds, allowing you to share the Coalition's social media posts or to take the Coalition in your own. We also hope our members – especially those in Texas – will actively report on this bill and editorialize against it if so inclined. You can learn more about these bills here. As always, you can contact ASNE Legal Counsel Kevin M. Goldberg at 703-812-0462 or goldberg@fhhlaw.com for more information.

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