Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Committee advances bill that would bar agencies from using the word “free” to describe taxpayer‑funded services
Summary
House Bill 182, sponsored by Representative Deanna Frazier Gordon, would prohibit government agencies from describing taxpayer‑funded services as "free" in promotional language; the committee approved the measure 17‑3 after members debated wording, enforcement and First Amendment concerns.
The House Committee on State Government reported House Bill 182 favorably to the House floor by a 17‑3 vote. The bill, sponsored by Representative Deanna Frazier Gordon of Madison County, would prohibit government promotional language from using the word "free" to describe services paid for with taxpayer funds and would require alternative phrasing that credits taxpayers.
"No government program is actually free. The taxpayer always pays," Frazier Gordon told the committee, describing…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
