SS/SB 160 - This act prohibits public institutions of higher learning, such as state colleges, community colleges, and technical schools, from taking adverse action against a student association because of the association's beliefs or the actions of its leaders. Specifically, these institutions shall not deny a belief-based student association, such as a political, ideological, or religious association, any benefits that are available to other student groups, including access to campus facilities and communication channels. A belief-based student association shall be responsible for defining its own mission, beliefs, and conduct standards. A belief-based student association may seek relief in a judicial or administrative proceeding against an institution that violates the provisions of the act.
The provisions of this act shall not apply to a belief-based student association if there is substantial evidence that such association's viewpoint or expression of the viewpoint would materially and substantially disrupt the educational environment or interfere with the rights of others, in accordance with the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Healy v. James (1972).
This act is similar to HB 1518 (2024), HB 136 (2023), HB 1724 (2022), SB 332 (2021), SB 761 (2020), HB 1926 (2020), SB 314 (2019), HB 837 (2019), HB 2074 (2018), and provisions in SB 1022 (2018).
OLIVIA SHANNON