SPONSOR: Miller
This bill establishes the "Cronkite New Voices Act", which provides that in both public high schools and public institutions of higher education, a student journalist, as defined in the bill, has the right to exercise freedom of speech and of the press in school-sponsored media.
In school districts, the district and student-media advisors may regulate the number, length, frequency, and format of school- sponsored media. School districts shall not engage in prior restraint of school-sponsored media except in the circumstances specified in the bill.
Student journalists are responsible for determining the content of school-sponsored media, while student-media advisors are responsible for teaching and encouraging expression and the standards of English and journalism. No student-media advisor will be subject to disciplinary actions described in the bill for refusal to abridge or infringe upon freedom of expression.
No publication or other exercise of the rights provided under this bill shall be deemed an expression of school or institutional policy. No school district, institution of higher education, or employee of these entities will be held liable in any civil or criminal action for any publication or other exercise of rights provided under this bill, except to the extent that such an entity or person actively participated in conduct that is the subject of a civil or criminal action. School districts and their employees may also be liable if they knew of the conduct and failed to take timely action to prevent or withdraw the publication or expression that is the subject of the action. Student journalists who are not minors may be liable based on material for which they were responsible or involved.
School districts must adopt a written freedom of the press policy that includes reasonable provisions for the time, place, and manner of student expression. The policy may also restrict speech that is offensive, threatening, or that fits other similar descriptions provided in the bill.
This bill is similar to SB 258 (2025).
Statutes affected: