California freelance journalists sue over new state law

Freelance writers and photographers are challenging California's impending new law that aims to give wage and benefit protections to independent contractors. The lawsuit says their jobs would be threatened by what it calls an arbitrary limit of 35 submissions each year. It says that restriction undermines free speech and media diversity. The lawsuit says government has a heavy burden when its regulations single out the press. The bill's author and the state attorney general didn’t immediately comment. The law takes effect next month. It also affects ride-share drivers and others in the so-called gig economy.