Colorado Bill Empowering Attorney General To Study Online “Misinformation” Sparks Free Speech Concerns

A controversial proposal that dedicates $150,000 to a Colorado Attorney General-led study on online “disinformation” and “misinformation” sparked animated discourse centered on the challenges to free speech.

This move was accompanied by criticisms concerning the budgetary implications of the proposed legislation, particularly in light of Colorado’s delicate financial situation.

The recently advanced Senate Bill 084, approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee in a 3-2 vote, places a mandate on the attorney general to develop initiatives encouraging “respectful engagement” while researching web-based information dissemination practices. The attorney general’s office is expected to furnish the legislative body with study results by March 1, 2025, which will subsequently be leveraged to determine whether to press ahead with proposed legislation.