OREGON — A
bill
that will protect the press rights of high school and college journalists
squeaked by on a narrow vote of 16-14 on the Oregon Senate floor Monday and is
awaiting a concurrence from the state's House of Representatives before it is
sent to Gov. Ted Kulongoski (D) for his signature.
If passed and signed
into law, House Bill 3279 will become the first piece of legislation passed by a
state to protect both high school and college student publications under one
statute and the first high school protections enacted since 1995. But some
experts have expressed concern that the amendments legislators have tacked on to
the bill will water down its protections.
Amendments to HB 3279 made by
the Senate Judiciary Committee included the removal of a provision that protects
high school and college student media advisers from being punished for
"refusing to suppress the protected expression of student journalists" and the
deletion of a clause that stipulates that college-sponsored media are to be
designated “public forums” and are not subject to prior review by
college officials.
If the House concurs with the Senate's revisions
Thursday, Gov. Kulongoski has said he will sign the bill, his spokesperson Jake
Weigler said.
Neil Bryant, a lobbyist and attorney for the Oregon
University system who proposed some revisions that were incorporated into the
Senate's amendments, said these "improvements" helped push the bill through the
Oregon legislature.
"If the amendments had not been made, the bill would
have failed," he said.
The amended bill is expected to considered by the
House on Thursday.
By Judy Wang, SPLC staff writer
