Great news! Florida Governor Ron DeSantis came out against a bill proposed by state Sen. Jason Brodeur, which would force bloggers to register with the state. DeSantis denounced the proposal, making it clear he did not support it. It’s important to note that former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, also condemned the bill, saying, “It is an embarrassment that it is a Republican state legislator in Florida who introduced a bill to that effect. He should withdraw it immediately.”
The proposed legislation by Sen. Brodeur would require bloggers to register with the state and file reports with the state if they were paid for posts regarding the state’s governor, lieutenant governor, cabinet members, or legislative officials. This is not necessary as bloggers already cover a wide range of speech and speakers. They provide an alternative to mainstream media and are a critical component in our free speech community.