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State A enacted a law requiring online political advertisers to file donor reports within 24 hours after any ad is posted. Violations carry civil penalties. A small advocacy group planned to run ads next month, but sued before posting any ad, alleging that the law violates the First Amendment. The state had sent warning letters to similar groups and refused to promise that it would not enforce the law. After the district court denied the state's motion to dismiss, the legislature repealed the law and replaced it with a substantially similar rule that takes effect after the next election. The group also challenges a 10-day emergency order restricting ads during a special election; that order expired before appeal.
The state argues that the pre-enforcement claim was unripe and that all claims are now moot.
Analyze ripeness and mootness, including voluntary cessation and capable-of-repetition-yet-evading-review.