CDT's John Morris to Focus on Free Expression & the Internet at Legislative Day

John B. Morris, Jr.

John B. Morris, Jr., of the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT), in Washington, D.C., will be a speaker at the American Booksellers Association's first-ever Legislative Day, at BookExpo America. As part of the session, "First Amendment/Free Expression Issues," from 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., on Wednesday, May 17, Morris will provide booksellers participating in the day's events with an update on free speech and the Internet.

"I expect to discuss a broad array of legislative proposals aimed at regulating speech on the Internet," Morris recently told BTW. "Proposals in Washington range from requirements that online speakers 'label' certain content as 'adults only' to rules that would reduce the ability of users to browse the World Wide Web anonymously."

As a staff counsel and director of CDT's "Internet Standards, Technology and Policy Project," Morris has primary responsibility for efforts to protect and promote free speech on the Internet. Prior to joining CDT in April 2001, he was a partner in the law firm of Jenner & Block, where he litigated groundbreaking cases in Internet and First Amendment law.

Morris was a lead counsel (on behalf of, among others, ABA) in the ACLU v. Reno/American Library Association v. U.S. Department of Justice case, in which the Supreme Court unanimously overturned the Communications Decency Act of 1996 and extended to speech on the Internet the highest level of constitutional protection. Also, while at Jenner & Block, he represented ABA in its first legal challenge to unfair marketing practices of book publishers.

Morris received his B.A. magna cum laude from Yale University and his J.D. from Yale Law School, where he was managing editor of the Yale Law Journal.

Prior to Morris' presentation, ABA will hold "Legislative Briefings" which will include an update on Associated Health Plans, featuring Dawn P. Latham, CAE, director of public policy, for the American Society of Association Executives and Neal Osten, federal affairs counsel for communications and interstate commerce at the National Conference of State Legislatures, will speak on the current status of Streamlined Sales and Use Tax legislation in Congress. Other briefing topics include literacy initiatives; sales tax holidays; credit and debit card interchange fees; and Americans With Disabilities Act guidelines.

The Legislative Day program begins at the Doubletree Crystal City at noon with a Welcome Lunch and remarks by Robert Barnett, senior partner at Williams & Connolly LLP and one of the premier authors' representatives in the world, and it will culminate with visits to Congressional Offices from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., followed by a Congressional Reception honoring First Amendment champion Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

Booksellers who would like to participate must RSVP to ABA by May 1, in order for the association to set up appointments with congressional members and appropriate legislative staff, as well as to prepare for lunch. To RSVP, contact Margaret Petrie at (800) 637-0037, ext. 6614 or via e-mail at [email protected]. (Please put "Legislative Day" in the subject line of the e-mail.)

Additional information about Legislative Day, BookExpo America, and ABA's educational programming and special events is available at www.bookweb.org/aba/convention/. --David Grogan