Today marks the 38th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court case, Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, and student press freedom advocates across the country are hard at work seeking to end the decision’s disastrous effects on student voices.
In the 1988 ruling, the Supreme Court held that school officials could censor school-sponsored speech if they could show it was “reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical concerns.” For the past 38 years, this vague standard has been used to censor student journalists for virtually any reason, largely dependent on who the school administrator is and what makes them nervous.
The New Voices movement seeks to change that. By passing state legislation that protects student journalists’ freedom of press, New Voices counteracts Hazelwood and sets reasonable standards for what can and cannot be censored. Today, 18 states have already passed this vital law.
So far in the 2026 legislative session, six states have introduced bills to do the same:
- Kentucky: A New Voices bill has been introduced in Kentucky every year since 2020. This year, SB 63 has continued that trend. Advocates are hoping the bill gets more attention and receives a hearing in the Senate Education committee.
- Michigan: A slightly different bill has been proposed in Michigan. The bill, HB 4849, is largely the Student Press Law Center’s model language, but has slightly changed exceptions. This new language could still protect high school student journalists, and advocates are curious to see how this bill works through the Michigan state House.
- Missouri: Missouri has reintroduced the “Cronkite New Voices Act” this legislative session. The bills, SB 1172 and HB 2918, will need to be voted out of their respective committees. Last year, SB258 was not voted out of committee, but similar bills have had success in previous years. The last time Missouri had a bill in both the House and Senate was in 2022.
- New York: New York has two bills introduced, S68 and A8064, in the State Senate and Assembly respectively. Advocates are seeking the support of other educational and journalism organizations to help push for a vote in the education committees. Despite a combined 76 co-sponsors on the bills, neither have yet to be brought for a vote in their assigned committees.
- Pennsylvania: Advocates are still seeking the first committee vote on HB 806. The bill would strengthen the Pennsylvania administrative code that bars censorship of student media “simply because it is critical of the school or administration.” The bill had its first-ever committee hearing in 2024, but it has never been voted on. Advocates are looking for other education and journalism organizations for support.
- Utah: Utah has introduced New Voices legislation for the first time in recent memory with HB 227. Advocates are hoping for a strong start to this new piece of legislation.
Additional states are working to get a bill introduced this session. In states like Georgia, Illinois and Virginia, advocates are looking for champions for a New Voices bill.
- Georgia: Student leaders have been organizing a coalition in Georgia for the 2026 legislative session. Advocates are speaking with several potential sponsors to see the model New Voices bill introduced in Georgia for the first time.
- Illinois: Illinois’ New Voices law has protected high school student journalists since 2016. However, student media advisers have still faced retaliation for refusing to infringe upon their students’ rights. Advocates in Illinois are seeking to fix that with a new piece of legislation made specifically to protect student media advisers. Students are still seeking a sponsor for this bill. Last year, students tried to amend the existing law, but were unable to get it out of the assigned committee.
- Virginia: Recent censorship stories out of Virginia have recharged the efforts to protect high school student journalists in the state. A bill was last introduced in 2020, and it passed with only protections for college student journalists. Advocates are hoping to return to the state legislature for the first time in almost six years to see those protections extended to high school student journalists.
You can find more information about each state’s movement on their state pages by clicking on the map on the New Voices homepage.
To get involved or learn more, email the SPLC Advocacy and Organizing Team at newvoices@splc.org or schedule a time to meet with them here.
About New Voices: New Voices is a student-led, nonpartisan movement working to end censorship of student media by passing state laws that protect students’ right to report freely. The Student Press Law Center powers this movement by convening coalitions, educating lawmakers, sharing model policies and equipping students with the training and confidence they need to stand up for press freedom.
About SPLC: The Student Press Law Center is the nation’s only legal organization devoted exclusively to defending and advancing the free press rights of student journalists. Since 1974, we have helped students and their educators navigate the law, strengthen their reporting and stand up for press freedom. Our legal support, education and advocacy empower student journalists to report freely and courageously. Stay updated by subscribing at splc.org/newsletter.