Bill > S1511

This bill, the Campus Free Speech Restoration Act, aims to ensure that public institutions of higher education do not improperly constrain the expressive rights of students, and that private institutions of higher education are transparent about and responsible for their chosen speech policies. The key provisions of the bill include: 1. Establishing that public institutions receiving federal funding cannot prohibit or restrict non-commercial expressive activities in generally accessible outdoor areas, unless the restrictions are necessary to achieve a compelling governmental interest and are the least restrictive means of doing so. 2. Authorizing legal action against public institutions that violate these expressive activity protections, allowing for injunctions, damages, and attorney's fees. 3. Empowering the Secretary of Education to review the speech policies of public institutions and determine if they are compliant with the First Amendment and the bill's restrictions, with the potential for loss of federal funding if they are found to be in violation. 4. Requiring private institutions receiving federal funding to disclose all policies related to student expressive rights, and creating a cause of action for students if the institution fails to comply with these disclosure requirements. The bill aims to protect and promote free speech on college campuses, both at public institutions that receive federal funding and private institutions that participate in federal higher education programs.