The Buckeye Institute has submitted an amicus brief in the case of Advance Colorado v. Griswold, urging the U.S. Supreme Court to consider whether Colorado's government-compelled ballot-language speech code infringes on First Amendment rights.
"Colorado’s ballot-language speech code gives the government unchecked control over the messaging of citizen ballot initiatives, a clear violation of the First Amendment," stated Jay R. Carson, senior litigator at The Buckeye Institute. "It not only forces Advance Colorado to say things it doesn’t agree with, but it also forces them to give misleading information to voters."
The Buckeye Institute's brief contends that Colorado’s economic impact analysis—mandated for inclusion in every citizen-led ballot initiative aimed at tax reduction—is a form of compelled political speech that breaches First Amendment protections. The organization leverages its expertise in dynamic scoring and policy impact assessment to argue that the required statement is speculative and designed to influence public opinion against the initiative.
Advance Colorado is represented by Mountain States Legal Foundation.