Bill > SB5608

This bill aims to strengthen free speech protections at Washington state public higher education institutions by requiring each college and university to adopt a free speech policy statement modeled after the "Chicago principles" developed by the University of Chicago. The legislation emerges from the legislature's belief that freedom of expression is crucial for a free society and that higher education institutions should be places where diverse and even controversial ideas can be openly discussed. Specifically, the bill mandates that boards of regents, trustees, and college districts must collaborate with faculty and students to create a policy statement that commits to: promoting open and free inquiry, ensuring discussions remain respectful, maintaining debate without institutional judgment, and protecting the freedom of individuals to express views even when others might disagree with them. The bill's context is framed by legislative findings that recent trends have seen controversial speech being silenced rather than countered with competing ideas, and it quotes legal luminaries like Justices Brandeis and Kennedy to underscore the importance of addressing speech through more speech, not suppression.

Education

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5608&Year=2025&Initiative=false