Gov. Josh Green (D-HI) is facing opposition for his intention to veto a bill that would limit his authority to suspend electronic media transmission during a state of emergency .
House Bill 2581 would remove these words from Hawaii law regarding a governor’s or mayor’s powers during an emergency, specifically “to the extent permitted by or under federal law , suspend electronic media transmission.”
If signed into law, the bill will establish “a reasoned and balanced measure” that addresses both the public’s right to information and the concerns of emergency management agencies, according to the Big Island Press Club.
“The governor or mayors’ ability to suspend any and all ‘electronic media transmissions’ during a state of emergency creates a clear prior restraint on lawful free speech and publication and violates the First Amendment as upheld by the United States Supreme Court ,” said Chris Leonard, president of the Hawaii Association of Broadcasters.
“The current statute clearly represents government overreach in granting the state and county government a ‘blank check’ to shut down all electronic media transmission without providing an explanation for why this is necessary, what systems are affected, for how long, and how decisions would be made,” he added.