Supreme Court urged to block California laws requiring companies to disclose climate impacts

"The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups urged the Supreme Court on Friday to block new California laws that will require thousands of companies to disclose their emissions and their impacts on climate change. One of the laws is due to take effect on Jan. 1, and the emergency appeal asks the court to put it on hold temporarily. Their lawyers argue the measures violate the 1st Amendment because the state would be forcing companies to speak on its preferred topic."

""In less than eight weeks, California will compel thousands of companies across the nation to speak on the deeply controversial topic of climate change," they said in an appeal that also spoke for the California Chamber of Commerce and the Los Angeles County Business Federation. They say the two new laws would require companies to disclose the "climate-related risks" they foresee and how their operations and emissions contribute to climate change."

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups asked the Supreme Court to block California laws requiring thousands of companies to disclose emissions and climate impacts. One law is due Jan. 1; an emergency appeal seeks a temporary stay. Lawyers argue the measures violate the First Amendment by compelling companies to speak on a preferred topic. SB 261 requires several thousand companies that do business in California to assess climate-related financial risk and ways to reduce it. Senate Bill 253 applies to larger companies and mandates assessment and disclosure of emissions and operational climate impacts. The appeal characterizes the requirements as unconstitutional compelled speech.

Read at Los Angeles Times