A bill proposed by Florida Sen. Jason Brodeur would require “bloggers” to have to register with the state’s Office of Legislative Services or the Commission on Ethics if passed. 


What You Need To Know

  • The bill would require bloggers to register with the state if they write about government officials

  • The bill explicitly excludes members of the press

  • Fines would go to lobby registration funds

According to the bill, a “blog” is defined as any website or page that hosts a blogger and is updated with opinion or commentary. Specifically excluded are the websites of newspapers or “other similar publication.” 

The requirements for filing with either agency would kick in if a blogger has mentioned something that concerns an officer of the executive branch of the state government. The report must include the compensation to the blogger for the post. 

Failing to register a post, page, or compensation will result in a $25 fine per report per day. Interestingly, the bill as written says that any fines paid to the agencies should go to the “Legislative Lobbyist Registration Trust Fund,” the “Executive Lobby Registration Trust Fund,” or another trust fund, that changes based solely on which person is written about in the blog post. 

Blogger Law by Phillip Stucky on Scribd