Opposition to HB 366 – Another Threat to Free Speech

To: Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick, Sen. Hughes, Rep. Dean

From: A constituent in Kilgore, TX

March 13

I am writing to express my strong opposition to House Bill 366, which seeks to impose criminal penalties on political advertising that includes altered images, audio, or video without a government-approved disclaimer. While I understand concerns about misinformation, this bill raises significant First Amendment issues and threatens the very foundation of free political speech. Satire, parody, and even exaggerated political imagery have long been integral to American democracy. Our own leaders regularly share edited and altered media to shape public perception. If elected officials are free to use these tools to push their narratives, why should the public be criminalized for doing the same? For example, in August 2024, Donald Trump shared AI-generated images falsely depicting singer Taylor Swift endorsing him, despite Swift publicly refuting the claim and endorsing Kamala Harris instead. Additionally, Trump released an AI-generated video titled Trump Gaza, showing a luxurious, redeveloped Gaza—an obviously altered depiction—without context, leading to confusion and misinterpretation. Under HB 366, such actions would require clear disclaimers, and failure to comply could result in criminal penalties. Yet, this bill will disproportionately affect regular citizens rather than powerful political figures. Moreover, we have already witnessed how the judiciary can be influenced by political agendas. The Trump administration, for instance, appointed 226 federal judges, including three Supreme Court justices, significantly shifting the judiciary to the right. This consolidation of influence raises concerns about the impartiality of the courts and the potential for laws like HB 366 to be enforced selectively, suppressing dissenting voices. The enforcement of this bill could be weaponized to suppress opposition and restrict political discourse. This bill is a dangerous step toward government-controlled speech. I urge you to vote against HB 366 and stand for the principles of free expression that define our democracy.

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