Colorado lawmakers poised to override Polis veto
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In a rare snub of Gov. Jared Polis, Colorado lawmakers are poised to override his veto of a bill designed to protect children from the harms of social media.
Why it matters: The legislation is among the nation's most expansive crackdowns on social media companies and drew overwhelming bipartisan support, led by Attorney General Phil Weiser.
State of play: It takes a two-thirds vote in each chamber to override a veto, but the hurdle proved easy with a bipartisan vote of 29-6 in the Senate on Friday.
- The same margin of support is expected in the House, which delayed the override vote to next week at the earliest.
- The legislative tug-of-war reveals a clear contrast between Polis and lawmakers — many in his own party, even — when it comes to business regulations.
Fun fact: This is the first veto override in Polis' two terms and the first in Colorado since Gov. Bill Ritter's tenure in 2011.
Catch up quick: Under the bill, large social media companies must remove flagged accounts suspected of selling firearms and illegal drugs or those involved in sex trafficking, and promptly cooperate with law enforcement.
- It also mandates that the companies publish annual reports about how children use the platforms.
Friction point: The override votes came less than 24 hours after Polis struck the measure, citing concerns about privacy and free speech in a three-page statement.
- "Despite good intentions, this bill fails to guarantee the safety of minors or adults, erodes privacy, freedom, and innovation, hurts vulnerable people, and potentially subjects all Coloradans to stifling and unwarranted scrutiny of our constitutionally protected speech," the governor wrote.
The other side: Just before the vote, Weiser's office circulated a legal memo to lawmakers refuting the governor's concerns and outlining how the legislation did not violate free speech. Weiser said he is prepared to defend the law in court if challenged.
What they're saying: Sen. Lindsey Daugherty, a bill sponsor, echoed those arguments, saying the legislation is not censorship.
- "If we let this veto stand, we are choosing to protect the business interests of billion-dollar tech companies over the safety of Colorado kids," she told her colleagues ahead of the override vote.
What's next: Polis also recently vetoed a bill making changes to the state's open records polices. Given the legislation's broad support, the bill's sponsors are considering an override vote in coming days.