New Voices in New York

Current status:  The New York legislature is in session, and both S 68 and  A 8064 have been carried over into this session. New York does not generally hold public hearings on legislation, and so advocates are working behind the scenes on phone-banking, letter-writing, and meetings with legislators to gain support. Join the movement by emailing Mike Simons at iteachyearbook@gmail.com, visiting https://www.newvoicesny.com, or following New Voices New York on X or Facebook. And, you can always email the SPLC’s Advocacy and Organizing Team at newvoices@splc.org.

Facing Censorship, Intimidation, or Retaliation?

Join the Movement
  • Get looped in with volunteer coordinators to let them know about your efforts. And, please get in touch if you are or were a student journalist (or adviser) who was the target of censorship, intimidation or retaliation:
  • Contact your state legislators to let them know why this legislation is important to you. Find out who your senator is here, and your assemblymember here. Not sure what to say? Check out our phone script and letter-writing tips here.
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 New York 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 New York needs New Voices
History of New Voices in New York
  • 2017: New Voices is introduced in New York for the first time, in the form S of A 8333 by Assemblyman Phil Palmesano and S 7721, sponsored by Senator Thomas O’Mara.
  • 2018: In addition to the 2017 bills, which carried over, the legislature considered A9801, sponsored by Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo.
  • 2019: A 3079, Sponsored by Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, S 02297, sponsored by Senator Brian Kavanagh, are introduced. The New York legislature generally does not hold public hearings. On April 30, 2019, more than 80 high school journalists, their advisers and other supporters traveled to Albany to meet with lawmakers. While there, the advocates held a news conference to bring attention to the need for New Voices legislation.
  • 2020: 2019 bills carry over to 2020. On January 29, 2020, the Assembly passed a resolution declaring January 29, 2020 as Student Press Freedom Day.
  • 2021: A 4402, sponsored by Assemblywoman Lupardo, and S 2958, sponsored by Senator Brian Kavanagh, are introduced. On June 21, 2021, 40 NYC high school students rallied in support of the bill.
  • 2022: The 2021 bills carry over to 2022. 
  • 2023: A 1345, sponsored by Representative Donna Lupardo, and S 647, sponsored by Senator Brian Kavanagh, were introduced in January 2023 and referred to the respective Education committees. On February 28. 2023, more than fifty student journalists and advisers traveled to the State House in Albany. While there, they met with more than three dozen legislators and knocked on the doors of every single legislative office in the building to show support for the Act.
  • 2024: Advocates held a legislative briefing, a first for NVNY, and spoke in support of A 1345 and S 647 to legislators over Zoom. Neither bill moved out of their respective Education committees.
  • 2025: S 68, sponsored by Senator Kavanagh and A 8064, sponsored by Representative Lupardo, were introduced. Neither received a vote in their respective Education Committees despite having 75 total co-sponsors on the bills.
Endorsements

The Deadline Club – Society of Professional Journalists

Empire State Scholastic Press Association

Freedom of the Press Foundation

National Coalition Against Censorship

New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU)

Press Club of Long Island

Teens for Press Freedom

Tully Center for Free Speech

Youth Journalism International

You can see the list of national endorsers at the bottom of this page.

Recent News

  • Legislative briefing highlights New Voices progress in New York (7/16/2024) - After months of advocacy in New York — including phone banking, letter-writing and sharing real-life experiences through the state coalition’s first-ever legislative briefing — New Voices supporters now look to 2025 with valuable lessons learned and progress made toward student press freedom in the Empire State.