A legislative committee Wednesday narrowly endorsed a proposed $150,000 study by the Colorado Attorney General on ways to prevent and combat the spread of misinformation and disinformation after proponents tried to allay concerns the measure threatens First Amendment free speech rights.
“I want to be clear, no one is trying to curtail free speech — on the contrary,” said Sen. Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County, sponsor of Senate Bill 24-084. “And I want to remind people this is a study, not legislation allowing the AG to determine anything.”
The bill, which passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 3-2 party-line vote, requires the office of Attorney General Phil Weiser to study “how the internet and other media channels, including social media platforms, are used to share and spread misinformation and disinformation.” Among other things, the AG would examine the legal framework governing the regulation of speech and online activities — including the U.S. and Colorado constitutions and Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act — and publish a report on its findings by Mar. 1, 2025.