Colorado Governor Signs Bill to Censor “Factually Inaccurate Data”

Colorado’s Democratic Governor Jared Polis signed a bill into law last week — SB 24-084 — that requires the Colorado attorney general to coordinate with the Colorado Department of Education to censor “factually inaccurate data,” as well as collaborate with organizations and community leaders to “facilitate productive and honest conversations.”

Senate Bill 24-084 states:

CONCERNING A REQUIREMENT THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL COORDINATE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN AN EFFORT TO PREVENT THE PROLIFERATION OF FACTUALLY INACCURATE DATA BY SHARING RESOURCES TO ENCOURAGE RESPECTFUL DISCOURSE.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:

SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 24-31-119 as follows:

24-31-119. Factually inaccurate data prevention campaign – repeal. (1) To PREVENT AND COMBAT THE SHARING AND SPREADING OF FACTUALLY INACCURATE DATA, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SHALL, AT A MINIMUM:

(a) ESTABLISH AN INITIATIVE TO ENCOURAGE RESPECTFUL ENGAGEMENT AND DISCOURSE;

(b) DEVELOP AND SHARE RESOURCES THAT CAN BE USED BY SCHOOLS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS TO FACILITATE PRODUCTIVE AND HONEST CONVERSATIONS REGARDING STATEWIDE AND NATIONAL ISSUES TO HELP PEOPLE FIND COMMON GROUND; AND

(c) COLLABORATE WITH ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE STATE TO DEVELOP AND UPDATE THE MATERIALS THAT ARE USED IN CONNECTION WITH THE RESOURCES AND COORDINATE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO MAKE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE.

Although the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Texas v. Johnson that burning the U.S. flag is protected speech under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, Colorado Politics stated on X, “Colorado attorney general warns that setting Pride flags ablaze can be a crime in some circumstances.” Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser responded to Colorado Politics, stating on X:

In Colorado, #WeThePeople means everyone and there is no place for hate. That’s a core message of #Pride, where we celebrate everyone’s right to live as their best authentic self.