Bill > H4749

This bill introduces the Forming Open and Robust University Minds (FORUM) Act, which aims to protect free speech rights on public higher education campuses in South Carolina. The legislation defines key terms and establishes comprehensive protections for student expression, requiring that outdoor campus areas be considered public forums without restrictive "free speech zones" and prohibiting institutions from denying benefits to student organizations based on their political, religious, or ideological views. The bill mandates that public colleges and universities develop clear policies supporting free expression, create materials to educate campus officials about these rights, and publicly report any incidents that potentially infringe on free speech. Institutions must allow most forms of peaceful expression, including protests, speeches, literature distribution, and petitions, with only narrowly defined restrictions based on content-neutral safety concerns. If a student or organization believes their free speech rights have been violated, they can sue the institution and potentially receive at least $5,000 in damages, and the state has explicitly waived sovereign immunity for such lawsuits. The legislation stems from legislative findings that universities should be "marketplaces of ideas" where students can freely exchange diverse perspectives, and it seeks to ensure that taxpayer-funded educational institutions robustly protect First Amendment rights.

Education

https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=4749&session=126&summary=B