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AR, IA, TN governors sign bills to protect citizens' freedom to support charities without harassment

Tuesday, May 25, 2021

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Zack Pruitt regarding the Arkansas governor’s signing of SB 535, the Iowa governor’s signing of HB 309, and the Tennessee governor’s signing of HB 159, three pieces of legislation that protect the ability of individuals to privately support charities and other nonprofit organizations of their choice without unnecessary government interference:

“Every American should be free to peacefully support causes they believe in without fear of harassment or intimidation. We commend the Arkansas, Iowa, and Tennessee legislatures for passing bills to proactively protect the confidential information of their citizens, especially during a time in which cancel culture and doxing can discourage charitable giving and result in a violation of First Amendment rights. These bills send the right message: Everyone, not merely those able to weather abuse, deserves a voice. We are thankful to Govs. Asa Hutchinson, Kim Reynolds, and Bill Lee for signing these important bills into law.”

ADF attorneys represent a Michigan-based nonprofit in the U.S. Supreme Court case Thomas More Law Center v. Bonta, which was argued on April 26. The lawsuit challenges California’s requirement that all nonprofit organizations who solicit donations in the state must disclose the names and addresses of major donors to the California attorney general’s office on an annual basis. Last month, 22 states and groups covering the ideological spectrum submitted more than 40 friend-of-the-court briefs in favor of ensuring that Americans remain free to support nonprofit organizations and their causes without fear of harassment or threats.

Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.

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ABOUT Zack Pruitt

Zack Pruitt serves as senior counsel and director of U.S. government relations at Alliance Defending Freedom. In this role, he promotes ADF's policy and legislative work at the national level on behalf of the broader ADF legislative advocacy team. As a principal strategist, Pruitt oversees the federal and state government relations teams and provides legal counsel regarding ADF’s core issues to state officials, members and staff of the U.S. Congress, the White House, and federal agencies. Prior to joining ADF, Pruitt served as senior policy analyst at Americans for Prosperity and director of public policy for the Family Action Council of Tennessee. Pruitt earned his Juris Doctor with a certificate in International and Comparative Law from St. Louis University School of Law. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He is member of the state bar in Tennessee and the District of Columbia.