
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 5, 1990                   TAG: 9004060758
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-12   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: TALLAHASSEE, FLA.                                LENGTH: Short

BILL WOULD MAKE UNSIGNED EDITORIALS ILLEGAL IN FLORIDA

A state House subcommittee approved a bill that would make it illegal for newspapers to publish unsigned editorials and force editorial writers to disclose financial holdings.

A subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee approved the measure 4-3 Wednesday, sending it to the full committee.

The bill would require editorial board members to file financial disclosure forms or face fines of up to $5,000.

It would make it a misdemeanor for a newspaper to run an editorial not signed by the author.

The measure clearly infringes on the First Amendment and would never stand up in court, said Barry Richard, attorney for the Florida Press Association.

One of the 32 co-sponsors of the bill, Democrat Elvin Martinez, said the measure's intent was to shed more light on newspapers' role as opinion leaders.

by CNB