The Student Press Law Center reports that a Washington state representative is sponsoring a bill to protect the press freedom of high school and college students and to forbid wrongful punishment of newspaper advisors. HB 1307 would protect student media outlets even when they are financially supported by the school or connected to class work.

 

This bill would make Washington the only other state besides California to pass a law protecting college press freedom.

 

Washington and California’s legislative efforts follow the Hosty v. Carter decision in the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, which applied precedent governing high school speech to the collegiate press, giving universities more regulatory power over college media. You can read FIRE’s amicus brief in that case here.