Current status: 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. 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.
On February 28. 2023, more than fifty student journalists and advisers traveled to 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.

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.
On January 29, 2020, the Assembly passed a resolution declaring January 29, 2020 as Student Press Freedom Day.
Shortcuts:
• Get involved
• Why New York needs New Voices
• Endorsements
• Recent news
Get involved
- 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.
- Learn the basics about the New York Senate, and the Assembly.
- Get your friends and colleagues involved. Download and share this flier, find answers to frequently asked questions, or find other resources here.
- Follow and share content from @NewVoicesNY on Twitter.
- Like and share posts on the New Voices of New York Facebook page.
- 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:
- Mike Simons: iteachyearbook@gmail.com
- Katina Paron: katinaparon74@gmail.com
Why New York needs New Voices
- Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier
- Another Voice: Legislation is needed to empower student journalists The Buffalo News (5-16-19)
- Hundreds of issues of the Maroon-News stolen, members of swim team found responsible Student Press Law Center (11-20-2018)
- Not “fake news:” National award celebrates tenacious New York City high school journalists whose reporting forced school leadership change Student Press Law Center (11-16-17)
- The principal censored this paper; the staff says it’s because a student critiqued teachers’ performance The New York Post (4-30-17)
- N.Y.’s tongue-tied student journalists New York Daily News (3-30-2017)
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
- NY high school journalists push to pass Student journalist Free Speech Act. News10 ABC. (2-28-2023)
- Student journalists need freedom to make sense of their world. Syracuse.com (5-12-2022)
- EDITORIAL: Students have free speech rights, too. NY should protect them. Syracuse.com (5-12-2022)
- EDITORIAL: Protect Student Journalism, The Daily Gazette (1-24-2020)
- Bill would provide more protections for student journalists, The Legislative Gazette, (5/14/2019), Albany, NY
- New York students rally in Albany for freedom of the press – Bill would make it harder to censor student journalists (4/30/2019), Times Union, Albany, NY
- Guarantee free speech rights to NY students, (4/30/2019) Post-Standard, Syracuse, NY.
- Capitol Pressroom: Student Journalism radio interviews, (4/30/2019) WCNY, Syracuse, NY.
- Editorial: Protect young journalists, (429/2019) Times Union, Albany, NY
- Student journalism: an endangered species, (3/21/2019) Pelham Examiner.
- Legislative Resolution Recognizes Student Press Freedom Day, (1-30-2019) New York Assemblywoman Donna A. Lupardo (D-123rd District)
- CityViews: NY Legislators Ought to Protect Student Press Freedom (4-26-2018) CityLimits.org
- Corning students visit NY Capitol to push for free speech for school publications, (4-24-2018) Press & Sun Bulletin, Binghamton, NY
- NY should extend free press rights to students, (2-15-2018) The Post-Standard, Syracuse, NY
- Give our youngest truth-seekers their First Amendment rights, Democrat & Chronicle,Rochester, NY (1-25-2018)