New California Law Makes It Easier To Kick People Out Of Public Meetings

New California Law Makes It Easier To Kick People Out Of Public Meetings

Trevor Schakohl on August 25, 2022

California passed a law Monday aimed at bolstering local officials’ ability to oust civilians from public meetings, according to KRON 4.

SB 1100 allows authorities to remove people if they fail to follow “reasonable and lawful regulations” at local public hearings or behave in a way “that constitutes use of force or a true threat of force.” California State Association of Counties Director Graham Knaus said it “provides an important tool to combat the appalling behavior, threats, and intimidation tactics communities have been subjected to at public meetings,” KRON 4 reported.

Democratic Silicon Valley State Sen. Dave Cortese and Assemblymember Evan Low wrote the legislation in response to increasing public meeting disruptions, KRON 4 said. Anti-vaccine and anti-LGBTQ groups targeted Los Gatos, California, Mayor Marico Sayoc at town council meetings last year, with October attendees charging her with putting children’s lives in danger, the outlet reported.

“The law doesn’t strike me as unconstitutional on its face,” Pacific Legal Foundation attorney Kyle Griesinger told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “The government already has a lot of control over a forum like this, and disruption isn’t defined in such a way that it seems likely to inhibit protected speech or disfavor a particular viewpoint. They seem focused on true threats of force, which are not protected by the First Amendment. Of course, it all depends on how they actually enforce the law. If, for instance, they interpreted an offensive remark as sufficient to disrupt a meeting just because it upset people, that would be a problem.”

“Hate speech, threats, bullying, harassment, and intimidation at public meetings are absolutely unacceptable,” Low said, according to KRON 4. “These disruptive behaviors drive people away from civic engagement. This is an important step in maintaining public participation, and I would like to thank the Governor [Gavin Newsom] for recognizing the importance of ensuring a safe democratic process.”

“This bill is a direct attack on parents coming to their school board meetings and voicing their passionate displeasure with how our schools have been managed,” California Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher argued before SB 1100 became law. “Regardless of this bill, a parent revolution is coming this fall.”