Student free speech bill passes Senate

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Senate on Thursday passed a bill that supporters say clarifies, but opponents say muddles, state law on students' religious and political speech rights.

The bill passed on a 30-4 vote.

The bill's chief sponsor, Sen. Albert Robinson, R-London, said the bill, "Simply codifies in the law various federal court rulings that speak to the First Amendment Rights of students."

But Sen. Morgan McGarvey, D-Louisville, said, "It's been stated that this bill doesn't expand the rights of students in Kentucky. Well, if it doesn't expand the rights, why look at it?"

The bill says students are free to express religious or political opinions in class assignments free from discrimination or penalty. It would prohibit teachers from reviewing or altering remarks of a student speaker at a school event, and prohibit public school and university officials from interfering in the affairs of student organizations including the organization's policy on selecting its members.

Before the bill passed, senators approved an amendment of Sen. Wil Schroder, R-Wilder, which would let a teacher review a student speech before delivery as long as the teacher does not try to change the student's viewpoint expressed in the speech.

Sen. Perry Clark, D-Louisville, noted that during a committee hearing advocates for the bill did not give any specific Kentucky situation that showed the need for the bill. Clark said the bill does not clarify but "confuses" what Kentucky law says about student free speech rights.

SB 71 now goes to the House.

Reporter Tom Loftus can be reached at (502) 875-5136. Follow him on Twitter at @TomLoftus_CJ