A bill to allow social media users in the state to sue platforms like Twitter and Facebook if they are blocked for political or religious speech is dead for this legislative session after the proposal failed to receive a hearing in the House. Republican Monroe Senator Jay Morris is disappointed and believes social media has too much power.
“The fact that oftentimes one side of the story is let out, but the other side is censored or deleted entirely is problematic for the nation in my view,” said Morris.
The bill passed unanimously in the Senate and Morris requested the bill be heard in the House Civil Law Committee and was shocked when it was not placed on the calendar. He then went to the Speaker and the bill was transferred to House Commerce.
“I had to go and ask for a hearing on that and eventually I got a hearing right at the end of the session and low and behold a quorum did not show up,” said Morris.
Morris said he believes the bill was deliberately kept from being heard and that social media platforms have a chokehold on the flow of information in our country.
“I can’t prove anything, but it tells me that some powerful people did not want this bill heard. I’ve never seen a bill killed just by a body refusing to come to a meeting and have a quorum,” said Morris.
The session ends on Thursday, so there’s not enough time for the bill to have a hearing which effectively kills the bill.
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