(NewsNation) — Florida and California, two states on opposite sides of the country with radically different leaders and political policies, are each setting legislative agendas that could have major impacts on free speech across the country, according to a nonprofit watchdog group.
PEN America on Tuesday released “The Florida Effect” and “The California Effect,” reports that examine the states’ policies “that may affect all Americans’ free expression.”
The nonprofit says Florida has set an agenda of “unprecedented censorship,” citing laws that have banned drag shows in public, prohibited discussion of sexual identity in classrooms and barred social media platforms from removing the account of a candidate for office.
Since taking office in January 2019, Gov. Ron DeSantis has vowed to go after so-called “woke” liberal policies and frequently proclaims his state is where “woke goes to die.”
Policies include the Stop W.O.K.E. Act, which barred the instruction of critical race theory and other discussions about race and gender in schools and businesses.
There’s also a law that forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in classrooms, which critics dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
According to PEN America, at least 23 states have introduced bills inspired by the legislation, and five became law in 2023 in Kentucky, Iowa, Arkansas, North Carolina and Indiana.
By contrast, PEN America says legislative efforts in California have led to “mixed results for free expression” as it seeks to counter conservative policies being enacted elsewhere in the country.
The free speech watchdog lauded legislation that decriminalized artistic expression and granted more protections to journalists. But it also criticized laws signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom that placed more regulations on tech and social media companies.
“These PEN America reports demonstrate not only that free expression is essential to a democratic society, but that policymakers’ approach to these issues is nearly as important as the policies themselves,” PEN America said. “The governors and the state legislators responsible for these policies must be held accountable for choices that would harm the fundamental freedom of expression, lauded for the choices that would protect it, and pressed to consider the impacts of policy on free expression, even when it is not the central issue driving legislation.”
Both states’ leaders and their policy initiatives will be on display Thursday when DeSantis and Newsom go head-to-head in a debate hosted by Fox News and moderated by anchor Sean Hannity. The idea had been talked about since June, when Newsom appeared for an interview on Hannity’s show.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.