Speaking freely: College free speech bill heads to governor – The Daily Advertiser

Matt Houston, Manship School News Service Published 8:48 p.m. CT June 2, 2017 | Updated 14 hours ago

The Young Americans for Liberty chapter at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette invited students to write anything on a 9-foot beach ball called a on campus. Chapter founder and president Joe Shamp explains. Young Americans for Liberty UL Lafayette Chapter

Lance Harris, R-Alexandria, explains his bill that would protect free speech on college campuses.(Photo: Sarah Gamard/Manship School News Service)

BATON ROUGE The Senate passed a bill, 30-2, Friday that is intended to ensure college students can choose to hear all speech, especially speech considered unwelcome.

The House Bill 269, authored by Lance Harris, R-Alexandria, requires state institutes of higher education to state their support for the First Amendment and create a system of disciplinary sanctions for students who interfere with speakers' campus speech.

MORE:Students say college policies violate their right to free speech|College free speech bill falters

Additionally, a special subcommittee of the Board of Regents will be appointed to report the status of freedom of speech on Louisiana campuses annually to the Legislature. The schools would have had to inform students of their policies during freshman orientation.

Freedom of speech seems to be increasingly imperiled, Harris said during the bills House introduction.

Some legislators, including Reps. Rob Shadoin, R-Ruston, and Sam Jones, D-Franklin, expressed concern during the House debate that the legislation isnt necessary.

Whats wrong with the First Amendment? Jones asked.

Shadoin made reference to an event at University of California-Berkeley, in which conservative commentator Ann Coulter canceled a speaking event due to threats of violence from students. Shadoin said hes unware of similar events in Louisiana.

Louisiana hasnt had any problems with this, so if thats the case, do we really need any enforcement that allows the universities to do what theyre already allowed to do?

Similar questions did not come up during the Senate debate. The bill now goes to the governor for a signature.

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Speaking freely: College free speech bill heads to governor - The Daily Advertiser