Current Status: The Texas legislature has adjourned, and HB 4821 did not receive a vote or hearing. Advocates are working behind the scenes to prepare for the 2027 legislative session. Join the movement by visiting New Voices Texas here or reaching out to the SPLC’s Advocacy and Organizing Team at newvoices@splc.org. You can also follow New Voices Texas on X and Facebook.
Join the Movement
- Contact your state legislators to let them know why this legislation is important to you. Find out who your legislators are here. Not sure what to say? Check out our phone script and letter-writing tips here.
- Talk with SPLC’s New Voices Advocacy and Organizing Team (newvoices@splc.org) about ways to bring New Voices to Texas.
Other Ways to Get Involved
- Refine your thoughts with talking points, find answers to frequently asked questions, or find other resources here.
- Locate a copy of your school district’s student media or student expression policy. This toolkit can tell you everything you need to know about your policy and what you can do with it. Some student media policies offer legal protection equal to or even exceeding New Voices protections. If that’s the case, spread the word! (And let SPLC know, too.)
- Help your colleagues better understand student press freedom by inviting an SPLC expert to join you: SPLC In The Classroom.
- Spread the word about New Voices. Enlist all your friends in Texas to raise their voices in support of this measure, which ensures the basic First Amendment rights of student journalists and protects their advisers from retaliation.
Why Texas needs New Voices
- INTERACTIVE INFOGRAPHIC: Student Press Freedom Day highlights importance of censorship-free student journalism UHCL The Signal (2-25-21)
- Why Are Student Press Rights Important? New Voices Texas (2-23-20)
- Texas principal censors paper, bans all editorials and ousts award-winning adviser Student Press Law Center (5-23-18)
- After months of criticism and bad press, Texas high school reverses prior review policy, allows editorials Student Press Law Center (5-23-18)
- Prosper High’s Newspaper Staff Says New Principal Censored Stories, Ousted Adviser Dallas Observer (6-8-18)
- SPLC sends letter to Texas school district to stop censoring student media, 17 orgs sign on Student Press Law Center (5-31-18)
- Most states are failing student journalists like me CNN (3-25-19)
- OPINION: Class papers: Bill seeks to better protect student publication content Yahoo News (3-18-21)
- Opinion: New Voices Texas fights censorship of student journalists The Hawkeye (10-23-20)
- OPINION: A free press law is imperative for Texas Eagles Nation Online (1-31-19)
- “New Voices” equals new hope for student journalists The Bridge (1-30-19)
- Texas student journalists cover their district’s response to wave of book bans Student Press Law Center (6-1-23)
- Texas High School censors “well written and legally clean” editorial about drug searching Student Press Law Center (5-5-22)
- Award-winning media adviser resigns after censorship, conflict with school principal Student Press Law Center (5-15-19)
- After three years, Anthony Mazur wins ownership of his photos and his former high school has promised to stop making students sign over their copyright Student Press Law Center (3-29-18)
- New Voices Texas stands with student journalists under threat of censorship in Houston ISD New Voices Texas (5-29-24)
History of New Voices in Texas
- 2019: HB 2244, sponsored by Rep. Mary Gonzalez, was approved by the House Education committee but did not receive a vote by the full chamber. SB 514 sponsored by Senator Jose Rodriguez did not receive a hearing.
- 2021: HB 422, sponsored by Rep. Mary Gonzalez, is introduced but does not receive a hearing.
- 2023: HB 5266, sponsored by Rep. Erin Zwiener, is introduced but does not receive a hearing.
Endorsements
You can see the list of national endorsers at the bottom of this page.