Student journalists; freedom of speech and the press. (SB80)
Introduced By
Sen. Dave Marsden (D-Burke) with support from co-patron Del. Kaye Kory (D-Falls Church)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
✗ |
Passed Committee |
☐ |
Passed House |
☐ |
Passed Senate |
☐ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Student journalists; freedom of speech and the press. Declares that, except in certain limited circumstances, a student journalist at a public middle school or high school or public institution of higher education has the right to exercise freedom of speech and the press in school-sponsored media, including determining the news, opinion, feature, and advertising content of school-sponsored media, regardless of whether the media is supported financially by the school board or governing board, supported through the use of school or campus facilities, or produced in conjunction with a class or course in which the student is enrolled. The bill defines "school-sponsored media" as any material that is prepared, substantially written, published, or broadcast by a student journalist at a public middle school or high school or public institution of higher education under the direction of a student media adviser and distributed or generally made available to members of the student body. Read the Bill »
Outcome
History
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| 11/26/2019 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/08/20 20101479D |
| 11/26/2019 | Referred to Committee on Education and Health |
| 01/08/2020 | Impact statement from DPB (SB80) |
| 01/14/2020 | Assigned Education sub: Public Education |
| 01/23/2020 | Continued to 2021 in Education and Health (13-Y 1-N) (see vote tally) |
Comments
This certainly makes sense for institutions of higher education. One federal appeals court allowed a college to restrict student media, while another didn't (the Sixth Circuit in Kincaid v. Gibson). It makes sense to adopt the latter, more speech-protective approach, given precepts of academic freedom that apply in higher education.