ACLU Challenges Law Restricting Internet Use By Registered Sex Offenders

Image via WikipediaThe American Civil Liberties Union this week filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, trying to block HB 55, R.S. sec. 14:91.5, legislation effective August 15, that restricts Internet use by registered sex offenders.

In John Doe v. Bobby Jindal & James D. Caldwell (Case No. 3:11-cv-00554-FJP-SCR), the ACLU is asking the court for injunctive relief to prevent the law from taking effect. The ACLU contends the statute is vague and overbroad and violates the First Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment rights of the plaintiff by "criminalizing the use or access of various Internet resources by individuals convicted of certain sex offenses."

As reported by the Jurist Website, the ACLU claims the Louisiana law that bans registered sex offenders from social networking sites, peer-to-peer networks and chat rooms is poorly drafted and would block access to sites such as Amazon.com and usajobs.com. Gov. Jindal, who along with state Attorney General Caldwell is a named defendant both in his official capacity and individually, has vowed to fight the ACLU suit "with everything I have."