The Supreme Court will decide in McCullen v. Coakley whether a Massachusetts “buffer zone” statute prohibiting speech within 35-feet of a reproductive health care facility violates the First Amendment. The State and Local Legal Center (SLLC) filed an amicus brief in this case which ICMA signed onto. Buffer zones are very common. The SLLC’s brief points out that how the Court rules in this case could affect state and local government’s ability to regulate speech to protect public safety in many contexts. For example, lower courts have upheld buffer zones to prevent congestion at special events and places that regularly draw crowds and near funerals to protect vulnerable mourners. These buffer zones and many others may be in jeopardy if the Court rules against Massachusetts. Read more about the case in this blog post in the Knowledge Network.