ACLU: Pa. state parks to suspend 'free speech' law

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union says the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has agreed not to enforce a little-used regulation that it claims restricted free speech in all state parks.

The ACLU today says state park rangers stopped two people from soliciting nominating petition signatures at Point State Park in downtown Pittsburgh, and also told a balloon-twisting artist he needed a permit for that activity in recent weeks.

DCNR press secretary Christina Novak confirmed that the agency has agreed to suspend enforcement while its attorneys research the issue.

The ACLU says the incidents resulted from a 1971 regulation requiring prior written permission for “expression of views” or distributing literature in state parks.