Topline:
The Fullerton City Council will consider banning newspaper stands and other non-governmental publications from the lobbies of City Hall, public libraries and other city facilities. The ban is on tonight’s City Council meeting agenda.
Where did this come from? According to the staff report on the ordinance, it was requested by the City Council “to clarify and formalize standards” for distributing materials in the city’s public facilities. The draft ordinance states that the policy would reinforce “the City’s role as a neutral provider of public services while preserving the integrity and order of government-operated spaces.”
The backstory: The relationship between Fullerton’s city government and the relatively robust local news corps has, at times, been contentious (and litigious). Ditto for the relationship between different news outlets.
The other backstory: A lawyer for the local blog Friends for Fullerton’s Future recently advised the city in a letter that the blog intended to start a print publication and requested to place a newspaper rack in City Hall. The blog was founded by prominent local businessman and political activist Tony Bushala.
Why does it matter? If passed, the ban would curb residents’ access to local news. The Fullerton Observer and the Daily Titan, Cal State Fullerton’s student publication, are currently distributed at City Hall and other public facilities. The proposed ban also seeks to establish the lobbies of city facilities as “non-public forums,” meaning the city could restrict speech as long as it doesn’t discriminate on the basis of viewpoint.
How to participate in the city council meeting: The Fullerton City Council meeting takes place at 5:30 p.m., 303 W. Commonwealth Ave. You can also watch the meeting live on the city’s website.