State Limiting Economic Development by Industry.

What’s happening? Iowa legislature is considering Senate File 402 (2021 | IA) that would prohibit economic development funds to tech companies that have been found, by a court, to have violated free speech.

Why is this important? “The conservatives are being censored by tech! The conservatives are being censored by tech!” That’s the policy mantra by the Iowa Republicans, the accuracy of which we’re not touching with a 10 foot pole connected to the Mars Rover. What Big Tech is saying is:

• don’t weaponize economic development
•  the proposed bill “perversely creates an incentive” for private entities not to prohibit or remove objectionable content in order to keep tax incentives

How will this be important? We can’t discount legislatures passing unconstitutional laws. We also can’t discount the ability for the voting public to agree with this legislation, which places restrictions on the free market and business operations.

Governing | Iowa’s Bill Against Big Tech Risks Economic Development