Student organizations; religious or political organizations may determine core functions, etc. (SB1074)
Introduced By
Sen. Mark Obenshain (R-Harrisonburg) with support from co-patron Del. Mark Cole (R-Fredericksburg)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
✓ |
Passed Committee |
✓ |
Passed House |
✓ |
Passed Senate |
✓ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Higher education; student organizations. Authorizes religious or political student organizations or groups to determine that the core functions of ordering the organization's internal affairs, selecting the organization's leaders and members, defining the organization's doctrines, and resolving the organization's disputes are in furtherance of the organization's religious or political mission and that only persons committed to that mission should conduct those activities. The bill also prohibits public institutions of higher education that have granted recognition of and access to any student organization or group from discriminating against any such student organization or group that limits its core functions to persons committed to its mission. Read the Bill »
Outcome
History
Date | Action |
---|---|
01/09/2013 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/13 13103425D |
01/09/2013 | Referred to Committee on Education and Health |
01/31/2013 | Reported from Education and Health with substitute (9-Y 6-N) (see vote tally) |
01/31/2013 | Committee substitute printed 13104808D-S1 |
02/01/2013 | Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
02/04/2013 | Read second time |
02/04/2013 | Reading of substitute waived |
02/04/2013 | Committee substitute agreed to 13104808D-S1 |
02/04/2013 | Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute SB1074S1 |
02/04/2013 | Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
02/04/2013 | Passed by for the day |
02/05/2013 | Read third time and passed Senate (22-Y 18-N) (see vote tally) |
02/11/2013 | Placed on Calendar |
02/11/2013 | Read first time |
02/11/2013 | Referred to Committee on Education |
02/13/2013 | Impact statement from DPB (SB1074S1) |
02/13/2013 | Reported from Education (17-Y 5-N) (see vote tally) |
02/14/2013 | Read second time |
02/15/2013 | Passed by for the day |
02/18/2013 | Read third time |
02/18/2013 | Motion to pass by Amendment offered by Delegate Toscano agreed to (68-Y 32-N) |
02/18/2013 | VOTE: ADOPTION (68-Y 32-N) (see vote tally) |
02/18/2013 | Passed House (73-Y 27-N) |
02/18/2013 | VOTE: PASSAGE (73-Y 27-N) (see vote tally) |
02/21/2013 | Enrolled |
02/21/2013 | Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB1074ER) |
02/21/2013 | Impact statement from DPB (SB1074ER) |
02/21/2013 | Signed by President |
02/21/2013 | Signed by Speaker |
03/22/2013 | G Approved by Governor-Chapter 701 (effective 7/1/13) |
03/22/2013 | G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0701) |
Comments
The ACLU of Virginia opposes SB 1074 because it would prohibit universities from applying neutral, generally applicable rules when prohibiting discrimination in student recognized organizations. Colleges and universities should not be required to fund and lend their names to discriminatory acts. The First Amendment protects the right of student organizations to hold and advocate whatever ideas they choose. This bill is not about free expression, but about universities' right to refrain from sponsoring discriminatory conduct. Student organizations that wish to discriminate are free to do so -- but that does not mean that they should be entitled to government recognition and funding.
One of the primary goals of public universities should be to ensure that educational opportunities are available to all. The exclusion of minorities, women, and others from officially recognized and quasi-private student organizations has, for decades, served as a powerful vehicle for perpetuating such discrimination at colleges and universities across the country. Government resources should not be used to perpetuate this sort of inequality. Finally, this bill may require public colleges and universities to provide funding and other resources to organizations that discriminate based on sex, in violation of Title IX, and that discriminate based on race or national origin, in violation of Title VI.
The ACLU of Virginia strongly opposes this bill because it would prohibit universities from applying neutral, generally applicable rules when prohibiting discrimination in student recognized organizations. Colleges and universities should not be required to fund and lend their names to discriminatory acts. The First Amendment protects the right of student organizations to hold and advocate whatever ideas they choose. This bill is not about free expression, but about universities' right to refrain from sponsoring discriminatory conduct. Student organizations that wish to discriminate are free to do so -- but that does not mean that they should be entitled to government recognition and funding.
One of the primary goals of public universities should be to ensure that educational opportunities are available to all. The exclusion of minorities, women, and others from officially recognized and quasi-private student organizations has, for decades, served as a powerful vehicle for perpetuating such discrimination at colleges and universities across the country. Government resources should not be used to perpetuate this sort of inequality. Finally, this bill may require public colleges and universities to provide funding and other resources to organizations that discriminate based on sex, in violation of Title IX, and that discriminate based on race or national origin, in violation of Title VI.