This week’s climate jester of the week award goes to Maine state representative Larry Lockman, who introduced a bill to add a person’s belief (or lack thereof) in climate change to the state’s law protecting people from discrimination based on factors such as race, disabilities and sexual orientation. Lockman, who thinks it is an “open question” whether human activity contributes to climate warming, introduced a bill that would limit the attorney general’s ability to investigate or prosecute people based on their political speech, including their views on climate change. It would also prohibit the state from discriminating in buying goods or services or awarding grants or contracts based on a person’s “climate change policy preferences.”
“We need to have a vigorous public debate on [climate change],” he said, while noting his bill doesn’t just protect climate deniers, but also protects the free speech of those who support climate change action.
The bill will have a hearing in early April. We can’t wait…