Senate panel considers bill protecting university free speech … – Chron.com

Photo: Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle

Students line up in a silent protest against the speech of White Nationalist Richard Spencer on the campus of Texa A&M University on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, in College Station.

Students line up in a silent protest against the speech of White Nationalist Richard Spencer on the campus of Texa A&M University on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, in College Station.

People stand next to a line of riot police outside the Memorial Student Center as they protest white nationalist Richard Spencer speaking at Texas A&M University Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016 in College Station.

People stand next to a line of riot police outside the Memorial Student Center as they protest white nationalist Richard Spencer speaking at Texas A&M University Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016 in College Station.

People are used back by riot police outside the Memorial Student Center as they protest white nationalist Richard Spencer speaking at Texas A&M University Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016 in College Station.

People are used back by riot police outside the Memorial Student Center as they protest white nationalist Richard Spencer speaking at Texas A&M University Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016 in College Station.

Law enforcement officers line a crowd of protestors during a speech on campus by White Nationalist Richard Spencer on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, in College Station.

Law enforcement officers line a crowd of protestors during a speech on campus by White Nationalist Richard Spencer on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, in College Station.

Students line up in a silent protest against the speech of White Nationalist Richard Spencer on the campus of Texas A&M University on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, in College Station.

Students line up in a silent protest against the speech of White Nationalist Richard Spencer on the campus of Texas A&M University on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, in College Station.

Demonstrators protest against the speech of White Nationalist Richard Spencer on the campus of Texas A&M University on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, in College Station.

Demonstrators protest against the speech of White Nationalist Richard Spencer on the campus of Texas A&M University on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, in College Station.

Texas A&M freshman Marshall Sullivan holds a rainbow flag as students protest a speech at the university by white nationalist Richard Spencer Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016 in College Station.

Texas A&M freshman Marshall Sullivan holds a rainbow flag as students protest a speech at the university by white nationalist Richard Spencer Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016 in College Station.

Students line up in a silent protest against the speech of White Nationalist Richard Spencer on the campus of Texas A&M University on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, in College Station.

Students line up in a silent protest against the speech of White Nationalist Richard Spencer on the campus of Texas A&M University on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, in College Station.

Demonstrators march on the campus of Texas A&M University protesting the speech of White Nationalist Richard Spencer on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, in College Station.

Demonstrators march on the campus of Texas A&M University protesting the speech of White Nationalist Richard Spencer on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, in College Station.

Demonstrators argue the points during a protest march on the campus of Texas A&M University protesting the speech of White Nationalist Richard Spencer on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, in College Station.

Demonstrators argue the points during a protest march on the campus of Texas A&M University protesting the speech of White Nationalist Richard Spencer on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, in College Station.

White nationalist Richard Spencer speaks at Texas A&M University Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016 in College Station.

White nationalist Richard Spencer speaks at Texas A&M University Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016 in College Station.

A protestor holds up a sign that reads "Heil No" as white nationalist Richard Spencer speaks at Texas A&M University Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016 in College Station.

A protestor holds up a sign that reads "Heil No" as white nationalist Richard Spencer speaks at Texas A&M University Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016 in College Station.

Students, protestors and supporters take video as white nationalist Richard Spencer speaks at Texas A&M University Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016 in College Station.

Students, protestors and supporters take video as white nationalist Richard Spencer speaks at Texas A&M University Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016 in College Station.

Senate panel considers bill protecting university free speech

Texas senators entered the polarizing discussion on campus free speech in a higher education committee hearing on Wednesday.

Sen. Dawn Buckingham, a Lakeway Republican, introduced legislation that forbids universities and colleges from punishing students for engaging in expressive activities and requires these schools to adopt a policy outlining students right to assemble, protest and circulate petitions.

The bill, she said, seeks to more clearly define what is permitted on college campuses in an effort to protect students' rights. It serves to remind schools of free speech guarantees set out by federal and state law, she said.

LOST CAUSE: University of Texas to leave Confederate statues in place, for now

Universities across the state and nation have grappled with how to balance the right to free speech and student calls for sensitivity amid controversial speakers and inflammatory fliers on campuses. Students have called for more restrictive speech policies and urged their schools to cancel events, arguing that this expression promotes discomfort and feelings of alienation, particularly among minority students.

The debate brought President Donald Trump into the fold in February as he criticized the University of California at Berkeley after riots required the school to cancel an appearance by a far-right writer. If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view NO FEDERAL FUNDS? he wrote on Twitter.

If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS?

In Texas, sharp outcry followed the announcement that white supremacist Richard Spencer would speak at Texas A&M University in College Station last year. More than 10,000 people signed a petition asking the university to cancel the event after Spencer evoked Nazi salutes at a high-profile speech in the nations capitol.

EXTENSION POSSIBLE: Texas A&M weighing new deal for school's chancellor

The university stood firm: Leaders said that they found Spencers views reprehensible and did not invite him to campus, but they said they had no power to block him from speaking on campus. Since then, it has amended its speaker policy to require outside speakers to be sponsored by recognized Texas A&M student organizations, the Associated Press reported.

And universities across the state have seen white nationalist, anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant posters on campuses since Trumps election in November. Administrators atRice Universityand the University of Texas at Austin cited campus policy as they removed those leaflets, saying that the posters were put up in restricted places.

Buckingham acknowledged that her bill largely reinforced the First Amendment and the Texas Constitution.

Sen. Larry Taylor, a Friendswood Republican, said the bill would allow lawmakers to take a stand against student intimidation that he said discourages conservative voices. If you have one group so forceful that they dont allow another group to express their opinions, weve lost a battle.

An initial version of the bill forbid university employees from dis-inviting campus speakers at the request of students. That provision was struck in the committee substitute, which Buckingham said was created after input from universities.

Scroll through the gallery above to see Texs A&M students protesting white supremacist Richard Spencer

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Senate panel considers bill protecting university free speech ... - Chron.com