Assembly Bill 501 is designed to bolster free speech and academic freedom within the University of Wisconsin System and technical colleges while establishing clear due process standards for disciplinary actions. The bill prohibits institutions from limiting First Amendment-protected speech unless it is unlawful or disrupts the institution's operations. It eliminates the concept of free speech zones, mandates that any restrictions on expressive activities be reasonable and content-neutral, and ensures that permit requirements are not overly burdensome. Additionally, institutions are required to conduct biennial surveys on First Amendment rights and provide annual training on academic freedom and due process.

The bill also introduces robust due process protections for students and employees facing disciplinary actions, including the right to legal representation and access to evidence before hearings. If an institution violates these due process provisions more than once within five years, it must freeze tuition for two academic years. Furthermore, individuals are granted the ability to pursue civil actions against the Board of Regents or technical college district boards for violations of free speech or academic freedom, with recoverable damages and costs. The bill clarifies that actions which intentionally, materially, and substantially disrupt another's expressive activity are prohibited, providing a definition for what constitutes such disruption to ensure a conducive environment for open discourse on campus.