16 States Urge U.S. Supreme Court to Hear Missouri Halloween Sign Case
Today, a coalition of 16 states, led by Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and joined by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier (of course), filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to hear Hanaway v. Sanders (the case that challenged Missouri’s law requiring individuals on the sex offender registry to post a sign on Halloween stating, “No candy or treats at this residence.”) Note that this was the case that ACSOL attorney Janice Bellucci won. The brief argues that the requirement is a factual public safety notice that regulates conduct rather than speech and therefore does not violate the First Amendment.
While additional amicus support can sometimes signal broader interest in a case, this particular filing is unlikely to move the needle very much. The brief largely repeats the arguments already made by Missouri, characterizing the sign requirement as an incidental burden on speech and relying heavily on established compelled-speech and conduct-regulation cases.
More importantly, the Supreme Court receives thousands of petitions each year and grants review in only a small percentage of them. A dispute over a Halloween sign requirement—however important it may be to those directly affected—may simply not rise to the level of national significance the Court typically looks for when deciding which cases to hear.
That doesn’t mean the petition has no chance. It does mean it’s probably nothing to lose sleep over. At this point, the filing of another amicus brief is just one more step in the certiorari process, not an indication that the Supreme Court is likely to take up the case.
You can read their brief here: Sanderson v Hanaway Halloween Amicus
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Im so frustrated. I have 2 stepsons and a biological son with him. Hes scared to step foot on school property. And its effecting everyone.
Cant event have decoration for holiday because county ordinance!!
FAC what are the other states in the amicus aside from Iowa, Florida, and Missouri?
A copy of the document is linked in the story. Look at the appendix
It is pretty f’ed up to see AGs of states that do not have Halloween laws sign on to this. I am going to tell mine to mind his own state’s business!
For sure and I already know your on it!!!
They just don’t quit do they lol. Well, looks like I’ll have to email our AG lol.
No they do not. They actually may be going harder soon. I Have been tracking uptick in compliance to seminars and also training events. Posted in comments here
https://floridaactioncommittee.org/operation-adams-watch-likely-the-catalyst-for-the-uptick-in-enforcement-actions/
I’ll have to give it a read. Thanks dude 👍
Yes also did all 50 state quick snapshot of July’s compliance look comments here its eye-opening. Also did comparison of Operation Adam walsh to immigration Enforcement just July too. Statistics on numbers are scary for us.
https://floridaactioncommittee.org/fac-weekly-update-2026-06-23-compliance-checks-and-registration-enforcement-across-florida/#comments
The supreme court at it’s laziest as usual.
If they didn’t take the Doe V Snyder back in 2016 which the 6th Said Michigan’s Sora was unconstitutional, they are not taking a sign case. If they did and ruled against us, they would be overturning their own precedence in the New Hampshire case from years back.