Illinois Video Law Running Afoul of 1st Amendment, Streaming Services Say

Streaming services asked the Illinois attorney general to weigh in on the constitutionality of the state's Cable and Video Competition Law, they told the U.S. District Court in East St. Louis in a notice of constitutional question Tuesday. East St. Louis sued, seeking franchise fees from the streamers under the CVCL. In the docket 3:21-cv-561 filing, the services said the city's proposed application of the CVCL violates the First Amendment by creating a prior restraint on speech and imposing an unconstitutionally excessive fee. Outside counsel for the city didn't comment.