Ivey signs free speech on campus bill

Thursday State Rep. Matt Fridy, R-Montevallo, and Sen. Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hills, commended Gov. Kay Ivey for signing legislation to protect free speech on all of Alabama’s public colleges and universities.

House Bill 498 was sponsored by Fridy.

HB498 protects free speech on public university campuses in Alabama, and was approved by a bipartisan 24 to 1 vote in the Alabama State Senate and a 73 to 26 vote in the House of Representatives.

“I commend Governor Ivey for signing this important bill into law. Alabama’s university campuses should be places where ideas are freely debated and students are exposed to a variety of viewpoints. Unfortunately, across the nation—occasionally even here in Alabama—college administrators have used unfair, arbitrary speech codes to silence speech that is deemed ‘offensive.’ Oftentimes, politically and religiously conservative groups are targeted. This law will protect all speech, wherever it may fall on the political spectrum,” Fridy commented.

House Bill 498 requires taxpayer-funded, public universities in Alabama adopt speech policies for their campuses that will protect the First Amendment rights of their students and the free and open exchange of ideas.

Read more: https://www.alreporter.com/2019/06/07/ivey-signs-free-speech-on-campus-bill/