State Senator Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville) released the following statement regarding the so-called “Truth in Politics Act”:
“Make no mistake, HB5850 is a direct attack on the right to free speech. The voters have the ultimate authority to hold politicians accountable for what they say and do, exactly as it should be. Free and open elections are the foundation of our democracy. It is truly frightening that anyone would support the idea of empowering bureaucrats to decide to only allow speech they agree with. Worse yet, this bill wouldn’t just apply to candidates, it would also go after citizens for speaking their minds. Offending overly sensitive people is the lesser of two evils compared to violating the constitutional rights of Illinoisans. The freedom of speech is a cornerstone of our nation, and I will always be vigilant in defending it.”
The text of the bill can be found here: https://ilga.gov/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=5850&GAID=16&GA=102&DocTypeID=HB&LegID=141734&SessionID=110