California Senate shelves bill enabling lawsuits against climate “deniers” — for now

The California Senate has shelved, at least for now, a bill that would lay the groundwork for a campaign of lawsuits against so-called climate deniers. The California Climate Science Truth and Accountability Act of 2016 (Senate Bill 1161), which had passed two committee hurdles, would retrospectively lift what is now a four-year statute of limitations so as to allow unlimited lawsuits under the state’s notoriously pro-plaintiff Unfair Competition Law, or s. 17200, over advocacy related to climate change. While the deadline has now passed for the bill to be enacted on its own under ordinary legislative procedure, it could still pass this year under “gut-and-amend” procedures or a rules waiver. [Valerie Richardson/Washington Times and earlier, Andrew Stuttaford/National Review, Watts Up with That, thanks for quotes in all; earlier]

5 Comments

  • We’ve been adrift from our constitution anchor for far too long. The question that needs asking: “Who cut the mooring lines, and why?”

  • This proposed law does not pass the smell test, much less meeting Constitutional muster.

  • While you’re at it California Democrats, why don’t you just repeal the 1st Amendment?
    You already have tried to get rid of the 2nd Amendment.

    • They did this already when they passed the no-hate-speech amendment.

  • […] Dunaway on Connecticut’s WTIC and you can listen to my Monday segment here, discussing the California bill to encourage lawsuits over climate denial as well as the Wheaton, Ill. fired cop […]