Study: Illinois has some work to do when it comes to free speech – Center Square

The report argues Illinois has a very broad definition of a “political expenditure,” which could lead to residents running afoul of the laws without knowing it. “What happens in Illinois is that unbeknownst to a lot of people, they might run a half-dozen Facebook ads saying, ‘I think this ballot measure is really important,’ or my group wants to advocate for criminal justice reform,” one researcher said. “Then all of a sudden they have state regulators writing them threatening letters, fining them thousands of dollars, because that is a question of public policy.”