State Senator Bill Ketron (R-Murphreesboro) has apparently told a Rutherford County gathering of members of the 9-12 Project that Tennessee's new so-called cyber-bullying law that if it is determined that the new law, which makes it criminal to-among other things-post something on your website or Facebook page that you know others might find offensive, actually infringes on free speech, the Tennessee General Assembly will reexamine the legislation because the effect was "not the intent." The Legislature was advised by State attorneys this past session that the new law does not violate the First Amendment.
It was a State Attorney-more precisely a legislative staff attorney-who thought it was fine for the budget to be changed on the word of one or two legislators after it was passed because of fear of a lawsuit. State lawyers can't bother to bluntly tell the General Assembly that if they pass a law that governs what pictures people may put on their individual internet sites, and declares that if someone feels "harassed" by a picture or image that this may be seen as violating free speech rights. We must change the wording to protect Planned Barrenhood, but woe be unto free speech and freedom of the press.
Now why is it the Legislature is supposed to trust attorneys to speak to the constitutionality of law?
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