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Landmark California bill would allow prosecution of climate-change skeptics
The Washington Times ^ | June 2, 2016 | Valerie Richardson

Posted on 06/02/2016 10:22:57 AM PDT by jazusamo

A landmark California bill gaining steam would make it illegal to engage in climate-change dissent, clearing the way for lawsuits against fossil-fuel companies, think-tanks and others that have “deceived or misled the public on the risks of climate change.”

The first-of-its-kind legislation — Senate Bill 1161, or the California Climate Science Truth and Accountability Act of 2016 — is scheduled for floor action Thursday after clearing Senate committees in April and May.

The measure would allow state and local prosecutors to pursue claims against climate-change skepticism as a violation of the state’s Unfair Competition Law [UCL], as well as extend the four-year statute of limitations for such claims retroactively to Jan. 1, 2021.

“This bill explicitly authorizes district attorneys and the Attorney General to pursue UCL claims alleging that a business or organization has directly or indirectly engaged in unfair competition with respect to scientific evidence regarding the existence, extent, or current or future impacts of anthropogenic induced climate change,” says the state Senate Rules Committee’s floor analysis.

While the measure enjoys broad support by a bevy of environmental groups, the bill has also been described as an effort to ban free speech on climate change as well as chill donations to free-market groups.

Stephen Frank, editor of the conservative California Political Review, called the bill a “totalitarian statement by Democrats that the First Amendment is now dead.”

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: California; US: New York
KEYWORDS: 1stamendment; 2016election; antoninscalia; bidenvoters; california; censorship; climatechange; deniers; election2016; epa; firstamendment; freedomofspeech; globalwarming; globalwarminghoax; kamalaharris; lysenkoism; newyork; popefrancis; romancatholicism; sb1161; scalia; scotus; senatebill1161; texas; trump
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To: jazusamo

bkmk


61 posted on 06/02/2016 12:00:48 PM PDT by Sergio (An object at rest cannot be stopped! - The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs at Midnight)
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To: The Continental Op

I’ll wear one ... on my holster.


62 posted on 06/02/2016 12:03:03 PM PDT by katana
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To: jazusamo

And it is one vote away from a SCOTUS stamp of approval.


63 posted on 06/02/2016 12:03:23 PM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: jazusamo

This bill will be judged unconstitutional (I hope).


64 posted on 06/02/2016 12:12:26 PM PDT by jonrick46 (The Left has a mental disorder: A totalitarian mindset..)
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To: bicyclerepair

I imagine the idiots in California think their environmental “saviors” will cause the climate to cool so they can enjoy their summers without turning on their air conditioners. California is one big Watters’ World.


65 posted on 06/02/2016 12:18:48 PM PDT by jonrick46 (The Left has a mental disorder: A totalitarian mindset..)
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To: jazusamo

“This bill explicitly authorizes district attorneys and the Attorney General to pursue UCL claims alleging that a business or organization has directly or indirectly engaged in unfair competition with respect to scientific evidence regarding the existence, extent, or current or future impacts of anthropogenic induced climate change,”

Looks like ALGore might end up in PRISON if an adventurous DA decides to do the Right Thing!


66 posted on 06/02/2016 12:21:46 PM PDT by eyeamok
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To: jazusamo

California is run by a bunch of idiots so it’s not surprising that they would pull something so idiotic. Idiots do idiotic things.


67 posted on 06/02/2016 12:37:34 PM PDT by No Dems 2016
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To: El Cid
Will they have to wear a Yellow Star ?


"Yes, but in this case instead of the Star of David, it will the Sun."


Sacrificing "deniers" to their sun worship as the Aztecs did.

68 posted on 06/02/2016 12:42:26 PM PDT by BiggerTigger
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To: jazusamo

When it passes (this is Californication, yes I am a native and still live here) and they start their first prosecution, I hope they understand the legal concept of discovery and that it cuts both ways.


69 posted on 06/02/2016 12:42:58 PM PDT by 5th MEB (Progressives in the open; --- FIRE FOR EFFECT!!)
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To: PROCON

It was nice Honey, I am very sorry you will never experience it.
I am still a conservative, but there just weren’t enough of us left.


70 posted on 06/02/2016 12:47:24 PM PDT by 5th MEB (Progressives in the open; --- FIRE FOR EFFECT!!)
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To: jazusamo
a violation of the state’s Unfair Competition Law

Expressing an opinion about an unproven theory is a "violation of the Unfair Competition Law"?

Censorship of the truth is more "fair" to whom exactly? Nevermind... I get it.

71 posted on 06/02/2016 12:49:07 PM PDT by Cementjungle
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To: Excellence

I love my farm up here in the north state; I would hate to leave (getting too old to start an orchard again), but I have already discussed leaving the state with my wife.


72 posted on 06/02/2016 12:52:06 PM PDT by 5th MEB (Progressives in the open; --- FIRE FOR EFFECT!!)
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To: bicyclerepair

Most all of the lunacy starts here in CA. But it generally sweeps the country shortly thereafter. There is a global push to criminalize dissent.


73 posted on 06/02/2016 12:53:15 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: DuncanWaring
Thanks
74 posted on 06/02/2016 1:07:55 PM PDT by ExSoldier ("Terrorists: They hate you yesterday, today, and tomorrow. End it, no more tomorrows for them!)
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To: jazusamo
I wonder if it will apply to opinions expressed by teachers in the public schools? MY "opinion" (as long as I publicly label it as such to my audience) is currently protected by contract and state law. I can't wait for retirement. The next three years might pass at an agonizing crawl....
75 posted on 06/02/2016 1:10:56 PM PDT by ExSoldier ("Terrorists: They hate you yesterday, today, and tomorrow. End it, no more tomorrows for them!)
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To: jazusamo
California must be very proud to have brought thought crimes to the fore.
76 posted on 06/02/2016 10:42:13 PM PDT by AZLiberty (A is no longer A, but a pull-down menu.)
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To: Lazamataz

Thanks for posting this. So much of the American left’s agenda is straight out of the Soviet playbook. Problem is no one realizes this since they haven’t taught true world history in schools for a few generations now, only cherry-pick things that fit their cause.


77 posted on 06/05/2016 6:39:25 AM PDT by hreardon
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