Editors at the Montclarion, the student newspaper of New Jersey's Montclair State University, returned from winter break to find that the funds for printing their newspaper had been frozen. The College's student government (SGA) cut the Montclarion's funding because the newspaper consulted an outside attorney for a probe into possible SGA violations of New Jersey's open meeting laws.

The US House of Representatives passed the Free Flow of Information Act of 2007 October 16, a bill that would provide the first federal shield law for people doing journalism -- including some bloggers. A companion bill cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee October 4. Pres. Bush and the Justice department oppose the bill and have promised a veto.

Nine years after the murders of Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. sparked a national debate, the US Congress has passed the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act. as an amendment to the 2008 Defense Authorization Bill. The provides "Federal assistance to States, local jurisdictions, and Indian tribes to prosecute hate crimes, and for other purposes." Opponent say that what it really does is criminalize condemnation of homosexuality. The President has promised a veto. (.pdf)