E-M:/ just when you thought free speech was safe...

[Dave Dempsey <davemec@voyager.net>]

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Enviro-Mich message from Dave Dempsey <davemec@voyager.net>
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Even Texas beef interests have surrendered to the plain language of the
First Amendment that protected Oprah Winfrey from their defamation lawsuit,
but Michigan's Legislature is now preparing to bring up a bill that would
make it easier to sue people who raise legitimate concerns about food safety.

H.B. 4660, sponsored by Rep. Allen Lowe, is scheduled for consideration in
the State House Agriculture Committee on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. in the State
Capitol.

The bill would create a civil cause of action against those who "disparage
an agricultural product."  In other states it has become known as the
"veggie defamation bill."

Although the bill limits its triple damage awards to those cases where a
person disseminates information he or she knows is inaccurate and is not
based on "reasonable and reliable scientific inquiry, facts, or data," its
purpose is to discourage citizens from raising any concerns about such
problems as pesticides on produce or mad cow disease for fear of being sued.



Dave Dempsey
Policy Director
Michigan Environmental Council
119 Pere Marquette, Suite 2A
Lansing, MI 48912
davemec@voyager.net
www.mienv.org

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