Blog
Vocalize your support for FOIA reform, anti-SLAPP protections
- By: ASNE staff
- On: 06/18/2015 14:38:49
- In: FOI
ASNE continues to push forward on two key legislative issues that would benefit members and their publications around the country: a bill to reform the federal FOIA and a bill to create a federal anti-SLAPP statute for the first time ever. We recently joined letters that urge Congress to move each piece of legislation as soon as possible.
ASNE continues to push forward on two key legislative issues that would benefit members and their publications around the country: a bill to reform the federal FOIA and a bill to create a federal anti-SLAPP statute for the first time ever. We recently joined letters that urge Congress to move each piece of legislation as soon as possible.
Both are issues we've been working on for some months. You might recall that the federal FOIA Reform Act nearly made it through Congress last year. A bill was passed by the Senate at the 11th hour but failed to get consideration in the House even though the House had earlier passed a similar bill. That's why we redoubled our efforts this year when S 337 and HR 653 were introduced early in this session. The former passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Feb. 23, and the latter passed the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on March 25. We recently joined about 20 organizations on a letter that urges the House to move HR 653 to the floor.
In addition, we have pursued federal anti-SLAPP legislation for the past few years in the hope that ASNE members in the 20-plus states that don't have an Anti-SLAPP statute can benefit from these valuable protections. We applauded the introduction of the Speak Free Act a few weeks ago and have now joined a letter signed by 35 media, technology, civil rights and other organizations that ask key members of Congress to move this legislation.
We hope you will vocalize your support for FOIA reform and federal anti-SLAPP protections. Please do not hesitate to contact ASNE Legal Counsel Kevin M. Goldberg at 703-812-0462 or goldberg@fhhlaw.com if you have questions about these bills.