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Insurance Requirements and First Amendment Rights of Freedom of Speech and Assembly

7/6/20

By: Jessi Samford

There is no doubt that the world as we know it has changed dramatically this year, and the protests and marches amidst the global pandemic have been in the forefront of recent news. While some protests have focused on broader awareness campaigns of injustice and inequality, others are geared toward current events that stir up longstanding tensions in the United States. There have even been a few protests about the pandemic itself. 

In recent history, some states have imposed insurance requirements on groups planning rallies or protests at certain locations, which presents an important constitutional question which should be considered carefully now, more than ever, in our country’s divisive climate. Can a government make and enforce a rule requiring that insurance be provided to cover risk of injury to protest participants or bystanders that that does not violate the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution? 

Iowa, for example, faced criticism three years ago for having a one-size-fits-all rule that any organizer of such an event at the state’s capitol had to obtain a liability policy of at least $1 million. The blanket rule on its face made no exception based on the size or length of the event, but it was not always enforced. One organizer regularly provided proof of insurance while others who could not afford the premiums proceeded anyway at the capitol as planned and without interference.

Special event insurance is not a new concept to the insurance industry, as many carriers are in the market to underwrite risks for short-term gatherings of all kinds—from an outdoor car show, farmers market, or festival to an indoor convention or even wedding festivities. The insurance would likely be based off commercial general liability (CGL) policy forms, which mainly address risks against bodily injury or property damage claims by others. In the context of protests on public property, it would likely be the venue organizers who would be required to supply the policy and proof thereof to obtain a permit for the special event, assembly, or protest.

What is unique about this concept in the context of a protest is that it would be held in a public space and a governmental entity would need to be cognizant of the First Amendment implications of requiring the protest organizer(s) to pay insurance premiums to exercise First Amendment rights to free speech and peaceable assembly.

The requirement to obtain a permit and pay a fee, such as for insurance, before authority is given for public speaking, parades, or assemblies in traditional public forums is generally considered by courts to be a prior restraint on speech. Forsyth County v. Nationalist Movement, 505 U.S. 123, 129 (1992). The term “prior restraint” is used to describe administrative and judicial orders forbidding certain communications when issued in advance of the time that such communications are to occur, including injunctions and restraining orders. Alexander v. United States, 509 U.S. 544, 550 (1993).  Although there is a “heavy presumption” against the validity of a prior restraint, the Supreme Court has recognized that in order to regulate competing uses of public forums, government may impose a permit requirement on those wishing to hold a march, parade, or rally.  Cox v. New Hampshire, 312 U.S. 569, 574-576 (1941). Such a scheme, however, must meet certain constitutional requirements. It may not delegate overly broad licensing discretion to a government official. Freedman v. Maryland, 380 U.S. 51, 56 (1965). Moreover, a permitting scheme controlling the time, place, and manner of speech must not be based on the content of the message, must be narrowly tailored to serve a significant governmental interest, and must leave open ample alternatives for communication.  United States v. Grace, 461 U.S. 171, 177 (1983).

A local government wishing to impose a permit and insurance requirement for public gatherings in a public forum should follow the guidelines laid down by the U.S. Supreme Court. First, neither the imposition of an insurance requirement nor the amount of insurance required can be based in any way on the content of any anticipated message. For instance, the amount of insurance required cannot be tied to the expected backlash that the message will cause among citizens. Second, the permit/insurance requirement cannot give overly broad discretion to the official who is designated to issue the permit. Only objective criteria should be used.  Perhaps the insurance requirement would kick in once a threshold number of participants in the gathering is reached or when the gathering is expected to last for a threshold period of time, and the level of insurance required could increase incrementally as the number of participants (or the length of the gathering) increases. Third, the insurance/permit regulation should require that the permit be automatically issued within a short period of time once the application is filed if the permit is not denied by the government official. Finally, there should be a quick and efficient method for appeal of the insurance requirement and permit issuance decision, because a system of prior restraint avoids constitutional infirmity only if it takes place under procedural safeguards designed to obviate the dangers of a censorship system. Southeastern Promotions, Ltd. v. Conrad, 420 U.S. 546, 559 (1975).

As local governments consider the impact that public assemblies can have on counties and cities today, and the costs that may arise due to such assemblies, we can expect more local governments to explore the potential for a special event insurance requirement for such events. As they consider such requirements, it will be important for them to consider how they go about doing so to comply with constitutional mandates.

If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Jessi Samford at jsamford@fmglaw.com.