Oregon Ballot Measure 19 (1994)

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Measure 19 was an initiative petition that was voted on in Oregon in 1994 and that sought to add a constitutional amendment to the Oregon Constitution which would limit free speech protection for obscenity and child pornography. The measure was rejected by the voters 54.3% to 45.7%. [1] The measure was sponsored by the Oregon Citizens Alliance, a group which also sponsored Oregon Ballot Measure 9 (1992), which was also a constitutional amendment, that sought to prevent all governments in Oregon may not use their resources to promote, encourage or facilitate homosexuality, pedophilia, sadism or masochism.

The text of the measure read as follows, "Article 1, Section 8 of this Constitution shall not be interpreted to prevent the people, the Legislative Assembly, or any City or County from enacting laws regulating or prohibiting obscenity, to the extent permitted by the United States Constitution. For purposes of this section, the term "obscenity" shall have the meaning given it by the United States Supreme Court, and in addition shall also include child pornography." [2]

Opposing the measure were a coalition of groups that made up the "No Censorship - No On 19" Committee lead by American Civil Liberties Union. Other groups included bookstores, video stores and student groups.