Federal Judge Blocks Texas Law That Tried to Ban Free Speech at Night on College Campuses
Briefly

Federal Judge Blocks Texas Law That Tried to Ban Free Speech at Night on College Campuses
"In a press release published in September after filing the lawsuit, FIRE's attorneys blasted the Campus Protection Act as a shocking prohibition of protected speech at public universities, that granted unconstitutionally broad powers to Texas universities, giving them the power to discipline students at nighttime for wearing a hat with a political message, playing music, writing an op-ed, attending candlelight vigils even just chatting with friends."
"Among these restrictions were a ban on expressive activities (defined as any speech or expressive conduct protected by the First Amendment) between 10 pm and 8 am throughout the year and three prohibitions that applied during the last two weeks of a term: banning inviting guest speakers to campus, amplifying sound, and engaging in engaging in expressive activitiesby using drums or other percussive instruments."
A federal judge in Austin issued a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of a Texas law that imposed broad restrictions on campus speech at night and during the last two weeks of academic terms. Senate Bill 2972, the Campus Protection Act, amended a 2019 law and required state universities to adopt measures to prevent disruption and ensure community safety following protests related to the Israel-Hamas War. The law banned expressive activities between 10 pm and 8 am and barred inviting guest speakers, amplifying sound, and using drums or other percussive instruments during final two weeks. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression represented plaintiffs including UT Dallas' independent student newspaper and UT Austin students and organizations and argued the law gave universities unconstitutionally broad disciplinary powers over protected speech.
Read at www.mediaite.com
Unable to calculate read time
[
|
]