One of the nation's strongest laws protecting the independence of high school journalism is on its way to Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner's desk after the state House gave its final approval Tuesday. HB 5902 passed the House 117-0 after its sponsor, Rep. Will Guzzardi, D-Chicago, asked his colleagues to accept Senate-approved amendments that paved the… Continue reading Student press freedom bill bound for Illinois governor’s desk
Author: Frank LoMonte
Unanimous Senate vote leaves Illinois student press freedom legislation on the verge of becoming law
A bill protecting high school journalists' independence, and shielding their advisers against retaliation, needs only a concurring House vote to reach Gov. Bruce Rauner's desk.
Unanimous Senate vote leaves Illinois student press freedom legislation on the verge of becoming law
Without opposition, the Illinois Senate ratified a bill Friday protecting the editorial independence of high school journalists and advisers, putting the measure one technicality away from Gov. Bruce Rauner's desk. House Bill 5902 needs only a perfunctory House vote agreeing to non-controversial amendments added in the Senate. The House had earlier passed its version of the bill 114-0,… Continue reading Unanimous Senate vote leaves Illinois student press freedom legislation on the verge of becoming law
Appeal challenges legality of Michigan regents' secretive "pre-meeting meetings"
Michigan's Supreme Court will be asked to consider whether university regents can lawfully continue excluding the public from "informal meetings" held before each public board meeting, where the bulk of substantive discussion actually takes place.
Student press freedom bill unanimously clears Senate committee as school lobbyists drop opposition
After unanimously passing the Illinois House, a student press rights bill cleared its toughest hurdle Tuesday and needs only a Senate floor vote and the House's concurrence in minor Senate amendments before heading to the governor's desk.
The ultimate student discount: No more paying for FOIA search-and-retrieval
A University of Virginia graduate student prevailed in her challenge to paying for the Defense Department to search for public records, convincing a federal appeals court that she qualifies for FOIA's discounted "educational institution" rate.
Student press freedom bill unanimously clears Senate committee as school lobbyists drop opposition
ILLINOIS -- Legal protection for Illinois high school journalists cleared its toughest legislative hurdle Tuesday and is headed for the Senate floor. Two weeks after giving House Bill 5902 a skeptical hearing that cast doubt on its prospects, members of the Illinois Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously passed the measure, setting up a Senate floor vote that… Continue reading Student press freedom bill unanimously clears Senate committee as school lobbyists drop opposition
NEWS RELEASE: SPLC asks federal appeals court to protect student groups' right to use college logos
A federal court is considering Iowa State University's appeal of a ruling recognizing the First Amendment right of a student group to use the college's logo on a T-shirt conveying a pro-drug-legalization message, an issue implicating the free-speech rights of all college students.
Cleared for takeoff: FAA recognizes educational exemption permitting drone use by student media
New federal guidance clarifies that students don't need permits to fly unmanned aircraft if they're not being paid and are pursuing a related course of study, which should expand the permissible use of drones for photography and videography in student media.
Pennsylvania court extends school's disciplinary reach into student's off-campus Facebook joke
A federal district judge sided with school disciplinarians in a First Amendment case involving a joke posted to Facebook, but the court also struck down as unconstitutional a school policy that made "inappropriate" speech a punishable disciplinary offense if there was any possibility of disruption at school.