Hazelwood Inspires Student’s Testimony

When Hope Johnson was a freshman in high school, her journalism instructor taught her class the history of American journalism. But one lesson in history stuck out the most to her, and even struck a nerve. The Hazelwood case. “It made me slightly angry, but mostly confused,” said Johnson. “I was under the impression that… Continue reading Hazelwood Inspires Student’s Testimony

Rhode Island New Voices bill dies in committee

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RHODE ISLAND — A Rhode Island bill aimed at protecting students’ right to free speech and press died in committee after no action was taken on it before the legislative session ended. The bill, which was part of the nationwide ‘New Voices’ campaign, would also protect student media advisors from being retaliated against for content… Continue reading Rhode Island New Voices bill dies in committee

Bill protecting students’ press rights re-introduced to NJ Assembly

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NEW JERSEY— State legislators have re-introduced a bill that would prohibit school districts and public universities from authorizing prior restraint of school-sponsored media. Co-sponsored by Assemblywoman Gail Phoebus, R-Sussex, and Assemblyman Troy Singleton, D-Burlington, the legislation aims to protect students from administrative censorship. The bill was originally introduced by an outgoing assemblywoman near the end… Continue reading Bill protecting students’ press rights re-introduced to NJ Assembly

Student press freedom bill unanimously clears Senate committee as school lobbyists drop opposition

Sally Renaud and Stan Zoller of the Illinois Journalism Education Association strategize at the Illinois Capitol after a student press rights bill won unanimous Senate committee approval.

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

Maryland New Voices press freedom bill signed into law

MARYLAND — Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan signed into law Tuesday a bill designed to protect the free-speech rights of high school and college journalists. The new law, which goes into effect on October 1, will grant high school and college student journalists the ability to exercise freedom of speech and of the press in school-sponsored media,… Continue reading Maryland New Voices press freedom bill signed into law

Illinois House unanimously sends New Voices press freedom bill on to Senate

ILLINOIS — House lawmakers unanimously passed New Voices legislation Tuesday that would bolster free speech rights for high school journalists and prevent administrative censorship in the Prairie State. House Bill 5902, introduced by Democratic Rep. Will Guzzardi earlier this year, would protect high school journalists’ right to free speech and of the press in school-sponsored media,… Continue reading Illinois House unanimously sends New Voices press freedom bill on to Senate

Nebraska Senate Judiciary Committee hears testimony on student free press legislation

A committee of state senators heard testimony from student journalists and free press advocates on Thursday regarding a bill that would ensure college journalists in Nebraska have the same First Amendment protection as their professional counterparts. The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the New Voices of Nebraska bill, which was introduced in January by Republican… Continue reading Nebraska Senate Judiciary Committee hears testimony on student free press legislation

“We just need to turn up the volume:” A Q&A with the sponsor of the Washington New Voices bill

The Washington State New Voices student press freedom bill, which would have given students at public high schools and colleges the right to exercise freedom of speech and of the press, died in committee last week. The bill, which passed through the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education by a 6-2-1 vote, failed… Continue reading “We just need to turn up the volume:” A Q&A with the sponsor of the Washington New Voices bill

Washington student press freedom bill stalls in committee this legislative session

After a month of growing momentum, the Washington State student press freedom bill failed to make it out of the Senate Rules Committee on Wednesday. Senate Bill 6233, which would have given students at both public high schools and colleges in the state the right to exercise freedom of speech and of the press, passed… Continue reading Washington student press freedom bill stalls in committee this legislative session