Topline:
Newspapers will no longer be allowed to leave copies in the lobby of Fullerton’s city hall or at community centers under a new ordinance approved by the City Council on Tuesday.
Why now? The ban, approved on a 4-1 vote, was prompted by a letter from a lawyer representing the local blog Friends for Fullerton’s Future saying a print version was in the works with an ask to install a rack for it in the lobby of city hall. City officials say the ban will ensure that city hall and other public facilities are neutral spaces.
The one exception: The council voted to allow a community news rack at the back of the main library next to a corkboard where people can post flyers and notices for local events. Otherwise, only government materials can now be distributed in the lobbies of city-owned facilities.
Free speech concerns: Some community members, and the lone council member who voted against the ban, Ahmad Zahra, said the new policy would curb free speech and residents' access to local news — including the Fullerton Observer and the Daily Titan, Cal State Fullerton’s student publication.
The context: Two other cities in Orange County, Irvine and Newport Beach, have similar bans, city officials said during Tuesday’s meeting. A third, San Juan Capistrano, had a similar policy, but scrapped it after they got sued.