NY State Senate Bill 2021-S2958

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 05, 2022	referred to education
Jan 26, 2021	referred to education

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2021-S2958 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A4402
Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Add Art 18 §§860 - 864, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2017-2018: S7721
2019-2020: S1594, S2297
2023-2024: S647, A1345
2025-2026: S68

2021-S2958 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Enacts the student journalist free speech act to protect student speech at educational institutions unless such speech is libelous, an invasion of privacy, or incites students to commit an unlawful act, violate school policies, or to materially and substantially disrupt the orderly operation of the school.

2021-S2958 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S2958

SPONSOR: KAVANAGH
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to enacting the student
journalist free speech act

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The purpose of this legislation is to extend and protect freedom of
speech and the press in school-sponsored newspapers by allowing for more
autonomy of student journalists over the content of their publications.
This bill will expand freedom of speech and the press by giving final
editorial control to student journalists at public high schools, while
at the same time continuing long standing ethical standards which will
encourage responsible journalism. This bill contains oversight
protections.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: The education law is amended by adding a new article 18 which
would be referred to as the "student journalist free speech act". Arti-
cle 18 contains definitions, exemptions, and liability.

Section 2: Establishes the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In many states including New York, school administrators have the
authority to prohibit content from being published in school newspapers
over the objection of student journalists. This legislation would guar-
antee freedom of expression and freedom of the press to the student
journalists by giving them final editorial control, rather than school
administrators. This will allow for student independence and individual,
initiative; student ownership of their publications which would foster a
greater sense of civic engagement and increase the protections of
student journalistic expression.

Recent news events have highlighted the need to protect and expand
student journalists' rights with more editorial control. In April of
2017, a news story demonstrated the importance of expanding freedom of
press rights to students. According to a news article from The Washing-
ton Post, a group of 6 high school students from southeastern Kansas
were writing an article about their new principal in the school newspa-
per when they uncovered that she had no valid educational credentials as
far as her collegiate degrees. The story quickly made the national news
and the unqualified principal lost her post.

The Washington Post states that under Kansas law, the students were
protected from "administrative censorship". And because of this they
were able to get the story published. Unlike Kansas, New York State Law
does not protect students from "administrative censorship".  Ownership
by students over their publications will help foster more responsible
student journalism and increase civic engagement among them.

Freedom of expression and press are fundamental principles in our demo-
cratic society and those principals should be expanded to student jour-
nalists as well.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2019-2020: S22978 - REFERRED TO EDUCATION
2018: A9801B - Assembly Education Committee

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

This legislation will have no fiscal implications for State or local
government.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2021-S2958 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2958
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 26, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  KAVANAGH, BRESLIN, HOYLMAN, JACKSON, MAY, O'MARA,
   STAVISKY -- read twice and ordered printed, and  when  printed  to  be
   committed to the Committee on Education
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the education law, in relation to enacting the student
   journalist free speech act

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. The education law is amended by adding a new article 18 to
 read as follows:
                                ARTICLE 18
                    STUDENT JOURNALIST FREE SPEECH ACT
 SECTION 860. SHORT TITLE.
         861. DEFINITIONS.
         862. STUDENT JOURNALIST FREE SPEECH RIGHTS.
         863. EXEMPTIONS.
         864. LIABILITY.
   § 860. SHORT TITLE. THIS ARTICLE SHALL BE KNOWN AND MAY  BE  CITED  AS
 THE "STUDENT JOURNALIST FREE SPEECH ACT".
   §  861.  DEFINITIONS.  FOR  THE PURPOSES OF THIS ARTICLE THE FOLLOWING
 TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   1. "EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION" MEANS A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL.
   2. "SCHOOL-SPONSORED MEDIA" MEANS ANY MATERIAL THAT IS PREPARED, WRIT-
 TEN, PUBLISHED, OR BROADCAST BY A STUDENT JOURNALIST AT  AN  EDUCATIONAL
 INSTITUTION,  DISTRIBUTED  OR GENERALLY MADE AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS OF THE
 STUDENT BODY, AND PREPARED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF A STUDENT MEDIA  ADVI-
 SOR.  "SCHOOL-SPONSORED  MEDIA"  SHALL  NOT  INCLUDE  MEDIA INTENDED FOR
 DISTRIBUTION OR TRANSMISSION SOLELY IN THE CLASSROOM IN WHICH THE  MEDIA
 IS PRODUCED.
   3.  "STUDENT  JOURNALIST"  MEANS  A STUDENT ENROLLED IN AN EDUCATIONAL
 INSTITUTION WHO GATHERS, COMPILES, WRITES, EDITS, PHOTOGRAPHS,  RECORDS,
 OR PREPARES INFORMATION FOR DISSEMINATION IN SCHOOL-SPONSORED MEDIA.
   4. "STUDENT MEDIA ADVISOR" MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYED, APPOINTED, OR
 DESIGNATED  BY  AN  EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTION  TO  SUPERVISE  OR  PROVIDE
 INSTRUCTION RELATING TO SCHOOL-SPONSORED MEDIA.

 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD03638-02-1

 S. 2958                             2
 
   § 862. STUDENT JOURNALIST FREE SPEECH RIGHTS.  1. EXCEPT AS  OTHERWISE
 PROVIDED IN SECTION EIGHT HUNDRED SIXTY-THREE OF THIS ARTICLE, A STUDENT
 JOURNALIST SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXERCISE FREE SPEECH AND OF THE PRESS
 IN  SCHOOL-SPONSORED MEDIA, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE MEDIA IS SUPPORTED
 FINANCIALLY  BY  THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION OR BY USE OF THE FACILITIES
 OF AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION OR PRODUCED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A CLASS IN
 WHICH THE STUDENT IS ENROLLED.
   2. SUBJECT TO SECTION EIGHT HUNDRED SIXTY-THREE OF THIS  ARTICLE,  THE
 APPROPRIATE  STUDENT JOURNALIST SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DETERMINING THE
 NEWS, OPINION, AND FEATURE CONTENT OF SCHOOL-SPONSORED MEDIA.
   3. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL PRECLUDE A STUDENT MEDIA ADVISOR FROM
 TEACHING PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS OF ENGLISH  AND  JOURNALISM  TO  STUDENT
 JOURNALISTS  OR  FROM GRADING THE PERFORMANCE OF A STUDENT IN ACCORDANCE
 WITH SUCH STANDARDS.
   4. THERE SHALL BE NO PRIOR RESTRAINT OF MATERIAL PREPARED FOR OFFICIAL
 PUBLICATIONS OF AN  EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTION  EXCEPT  FOR  THE  MATERIAL
 DESCRIBED IN SECTION EIGHT HUNDRED SIXTY-THREE OF THIS ARTICLE.
   5.  EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTION  ADMINISTRATORS  SHALL HAVE THE BURDEN OF
 DEMONSTRATING JUSTIFICATION WITHOUT UNDUE DELAY PRIOR TO A LIMITATION OF
 STUDENT EXPRESSION UNDER THIS ARTICLE.
   6. NO STUDENT MEDIA ADVISOR OR EMPLOYEE SHALL BE DISMISSED, SUSPENDED,
 DISCIPLINED, REASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, OR  OTHERWISE  RETALIATED  AGAINST
 SOLELY  FOR  ACTING TO PROTECT A PUPIL ENGAGED IN THE CONDUCT AUTHORIZED
 UNDER THIS ARTICLE; AND FURTHER NO STUDENT  MEDIA  ADVISOR  OR  EMPLOYEE
 SHALL  BE  DISMISSED, SUSPENDED, DISCIPLINED, REASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED OR
 OTHERWISE RETALIATED AGAINST SOLELY FOR AN ACTION,  UNDERTAKEN  IN  GOOD
 FAITH  WITH THIS ARTICLE, WHICH RESULTS IN THE PROHIBITION OF THE PUBLI-
 CATION OF SPEECH PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE.
   7. POLITICAL EXPRESSION BY STUDENTS IN  SCHOOL-SPONSORED  MEDIA  SHALL
 NOT BE DEEMED THE USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES.
   §  863.  EXEMPTIONS.  NOTHING  IN  THIS ARTICLE SHALL IMPOSE A DUTY ON
 EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION ADMINISTRATORS TO REVIEW SCHOOL-SPONSORED  MEDIA
 PRIOR  TO  PUBLICATION.  TO  THE  EXTENT THAT AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION
 ADMINISTRATOR CHOOSES TO ENGAGE IN  PRE-PUBLICATION REVIEW, THE  FOLLOW-
 ING FORMS OF EXPRESSION SHALL NOT BE PROTECTED BY THIS ARTICLE:
   1. EXPRESSION THAT IS LIBELOUS, SLANDEROUS OR OBSCENE;
   2. EXPRESSION THAT CONSTITUTES AN UNWARRANTED INVASION OF PRIVACY;
   3. EXPRESSION THAT VIOLATES FEDERAL OR STATE LAW; OR
   4.  EXPRESSION  THAT  INCITES STUDENTS TO COMMIT AN UNLAWFUL ACT WHERE
 SUCH   UNLAWFUL ACT WOULD BE BOTH  IMMINENT  AND  LIKELY  TO  OCCUR,  TO
 VIOLATE  THE  POLICIES  OF THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION, OR TO MATERIALLY
 AND SUBSTANTIALLY DISRUPT THE  ORDERLY  OPERATION  OF  SUCH  EDUCATIONAL
 INSTITUTION.
   §  864.  LIABILITY.  NO EXPRESSION MADE BY STUDENTS IN THE EXERCISE OF
 FREE SPEECH OR FREEDOM OF THE PRESS PROTECTED BY THIS ARTICLE  SHALL  BE
 DEEMED  TO BE AN EXPRESSION OF POLICY, OPINION OR POSITION OF THE EDUCA-
 TIONAL INSTITUTION, NOR SHALL ANY SUCH EXPRESSION BE CONSIDERED TO BE AN
 ENDORSEMENT IN ANY WAY BY THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION AND NO EDUCATIONAL
 INSTITUTION, STUDENT MEDIA ADVISOR, EMPLOYEE, PARENT, LEGAL GUARDIAN  OR
 ADMINISTRATOR  OF AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION SHALL BE HELD LIABLE IN ANY
 CIVIL OR CRIMINAL  ACTION  FOR  ANY  EXPRESSION  MADE  OR  PUBLISHED  BY
 STUDENTS,  EXCEPT  IN  CASES OF WILLFUL OR WANTON MISCONDUCT. NOTHING IN
 THIS SECTION SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO CREATE ANY PRIVATE ACTION  ON  BEHALF
 OF  A STUDENT OTHER THAN TO SEEK INJUNCTIVE RELIEF ALLOWING THE PUBLICA-
 TION OF THE SPEECH IN QUESTION.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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Senate Bill S2958

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

co-Sponsors

2021-S2958 (ACTIVE) - Details

2021-S2958 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2021-S2958 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2021-S2958 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S2958

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Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

co-Sponsors

2021-S2958 (ACTIVE) - Details

2021-S2958 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2021-S2958 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2021-S2958 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments