Government & PolicyBreaking
Appeals court allows First Amendment challenge to California law on employer meetings
By Mantle News
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Covered by 3 outlets, all right-leaning.
3 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias
Reason, Just the News and The Center Square report that a three-judge panel of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on October 29, 2026 that California Senate Bill 399 likely restricts employers’ speech. The law bars employers from disciplining or threatening workers who skip employer-sponsored meetings whose purpose is to communicate the employer’s opinion on religious or political matters. The outlets say the court found the law reaches expressive activity, not only discipline. The panel revived a First Amendment challenge brought by the California Policy Center, and Just the News says the lawsuit could return to district court. According to Just the News, the state argued the nonprofit was likely exempt. The Center Square says the panel upheld a lower court’s block on the law.
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A three-judge Ninth Circuit panel ruled on October 29, 2026 in Calif. Chamber of Commerce v. Bonta.
One side only: the rightReported byRight2See the outletsHide the outlets
- Right
- Reason, The Center Square
The panel said California Senate Bill 399 likely violates employers’ First Amendment rights by restricting their speech.
One side only: the rightReported byRight2See the outletsHide the outlets
- Right
- Reason, The Center Square
SB 399 bars employers from disciplining or threatening employees who decline to attend meetings meant to communicate the employer’s opinion on religious or political matters.
One side only: the rightReported byRight2Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
- Right
- Reason, The Center Square
- Far Right
- Just the News
The panel revived a First Amendment challenge by the California Policy Center, and the case could return to district court.
One outletJust the News· Far Right
The state argued the California Policy Center was likely exempt from the law, and the court said its planned political discussions could fall outside the exemptions.
One outletJust the News· Far Right
How each side tells it
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All three outlets report that a Ninth Circuit panel found California’s SB 399 likely violates employers’ First Amendment rights, and present the ruling as a win for employers against the state law.
the left
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the center
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the right
3 outlets
Headlines present the ruling as a First Amendment win for employers against California; Reason and the Far Right Just the News use procedural wording, while The Center Square states it as a flat verdict.
California can’t punish employers for sharing political, religious opinions
The Center SquareRightAll right-leaning headlines
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Right1
crackdowns
In the outlets’ own words
Sensational language
crackdownsMore neutral: enforcement or legal action
The word suggests harsh, aggressive enforcement that the article does not describe; the coverage concerns lawsuits and state action under a specific statute.
(Legal Newsline) — California can't punish employers with the threat of lawsuits or crackdowns if they express ownership's political or religious opinions at workplace meetings, a…
Used byThe Center Square (Right)
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From the left
0 outletsNo left-leaning outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.
From the center
0 outletsNo center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.
From the right
3 outletsLeads with
- employers’ First Amendment rights
- court ruling against California
- panel’s mix of Democratic and Republican appointees
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- The Center SquareRight
California can’t punish employers for sharing political, religious opinions
(Legal Newsline) — California can't punish employers with the threat of lawsuits or Sensational language“crackdowns”The word suggests harsh, aggressive enforcement that the article does not describe; the coverage concerns lawsuits and state action under a specific statute.More neutral: enforcement or legal actionDisagree with this highlight? if they express ownership's political or religious opinions at workplace meetings, a federal appeals panel has ruled.
- Just the NewsFar Right
Appeals court reinstates First Amendment challenge to California restrictions on workplace meetings
The California Policy Center argues the law limits its ability to hold mandatory employee meetings about political issues central to its work.
- ReasonRight
Law Banning Employer Requirements That Employees Listen to Employer's Religious or Political Speech Likely Violates Employer's First Amendment Rights
From Calif. Chamber of Commerce v. Bonta, decided today by Judge Richard Tallman, joined by Judges Richard Paez and Mark Bennett: California Senate Bill (SB) 399 prohibits an employer from subjecting, or threatening to subject, an employee to adverse action if the employee …
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