The College Fix

But no mandatory suspension or expulsion after amendments

Louisiana lawmakers aren’t waiting for student activists to disrupt invited speakers on state campuses before approving legislation that protects students’ rights to hear those speakers’ views.

The Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill Friday that now goes to Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards, The Advertiser reports:

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.

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.

The House bill went through several changes in the Senate, some prompted by Louisiana State University’s spokesperson, The Advocate reports:

The bill approved by the House said students found responsible twice for infringing on speech rights could be suspended for a year or expelled.

That language was taken out, as well as other changes that give colleges and universities authority over disciplining students.

The bill would require management boards for LSU, Southern and other schools to spell out policies aimed at protecting campus speech, “including without limitation ideas and opinions they (students) find unwelcome, disagreeable or even deeply offensive.”

The “green sheet redigest” says the Senate adopted several amendments proposed by its education committee:

1. Makes technical changes.

2. Removes subjective terms to clarify language.

3. Delineates a student’s rights in regards in disciplinary proceedings.

4. Deletes provisions requiring suspension or expulsion of students.

5. Deletes provisions restricting a postsecondary institution’s ability to discuss current issues.

The full explanation of a student’s rights in disciplinary proceedings in the committee’s amendments:

(a) The right to receive written notice of charges in advance.
(b) The right to review the evidence in support of the charges.
(c) The right to confront witnesses against them.
(d) The right to present a defense.
(e) The right to call witnesses.
(f) A decision by an impartial arbiter or panel.
(g) The right of appeal.

The latest version of the full bill (“reengrossed”) published by Legislature still has the mandatory one-year suspension or expulsion provision, however; it mentions House but not Senate amendments.

Rep. Harris told the Senate education committee Thursday that his bill was influenced by the “upheaval” at the University of California-Berkeley and other campuses where students have disrupted or threatened to disrupt conservative speakers, according to The Advocate.

During House debate, both Republican and Democratic lawmakers questioned why the First Amendment wasn’t sufficient to protect unpopular speech on campus, noting Louisiana hadn’t yet experienced disruptions like UC-Berkeley has, according to The Advertiser.

The measure actually failed to clear the vote hurdle the first time in the House, but it was approved May 24 on a second vote with little debate, according to The Advocate.

It is “scheduled for concurrence” Tuesday.

Read The Advertiser and The Advocate coverage.

h/t Students Advocating for Students

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