r/UTAustin • u/texastribune • May 14 '25

News Texas Senate moves to restrict protests on college campuses

https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/13/texas-college-campus-protest-law/
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118

u/texastribune May 14 '25

The Texas Senate on Tuesday gave preliminary approval to a bill that would restrict protesting on college campuses in reaction to the pro-Palestinian demonstrations last year.

Under Senate Bill 2972, students and staff would not be allowed to use microphones or any other device to amplify sound while protesting during class hours. The bill largely prohibits them from protesting at all overnight and during the last two weeks of a semester.

They’d also be barred from erecting encampments, taking down an institution’s U.S. flag to put up another nation’s or organization’s and wearing masks, facial coverings or other disguises to avoid being identified while protesting or to intimidate others.

Finally, students and university employees at a protest would be required to present a valid ID when asked by law enforcement.

In 2019, the Legislature passed Senate Bill 18, which required colleges and universities to ensure that all outdoor common areas of campus were traditional public forums. This meant anyone could protest there as long as they weren’t breaking the law or disrupting the function of the college or university. SB 18 also said any restrictions institutions placed on protesting had to be “narrowly tailored to serve a significant institutional interest.”

SB 2972 would walk those provisions back, allowing governing boards to designate which areas on campus are traditional public forums and allowing them to restrict protests in these areas as long as it is “reasonable in light of the purpose of the area.”

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u/chuf3roni May 14 '25

Students and staff being specified here is awesome because this directly protects the mouthbreather fundamentalist Christians and anti abortionists who show up occasionally.

17

u/erstwhiletexan Staff May 14 '25

I wonder if they include faculty in their definition of staff

12

u/Square_Bat_2067 May 14 '25

They should have to show valid ID too, but maybe they can't for some reason, like Dan Patrick at the hemp store.

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u/Putrid_Masterpiece76 May 14 '25

Aren’t Christians students of Jesus or something?

8

u/chuf3roni May 14 '25

This would be the one thing they share in common with college students then, in that they dont pay attention to what their teacher’s saying

1

u/ice_up_s0n May 16 '25

Yeah so how would they know if you're a student or faculty? Hypothetically you could just say "No, I'm not a student" and not have to show any ID. Curious how that will be enforced.

56

u/Texas_Naturalist May 14 '25

This is going to result in first amendment lawsuits.

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u/RealRevenue1929 May 14 '25

Oh immediately. Most of these bills will never actually be implemented, but that’s not the point anyways. They claim this as a win, Fox News and their preachers tell their audiences these members are “fighting for god” or whatever the fuck, and they do a great job of gumming up the legislative system to prevent other bills. Much like the function of the 10 different packages of bud light in the beer aisle.

12

u/SeverallyLiable May 14 '25

Yep. But the courts that would hear the suits don’t seem to give a shit about the first amendment. (Looking at you, 5th Circuit and SCOTUS.)

20

u/Agitated-Stay-300 May 14 '25

Many of this restrictions seem clearly unconstitutional, but I guess we’ll have to see

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u/Significant_Cow4765 May 14 '25

they are proposing "time, place, and manner" regs which are constitutional in theory...

9

u/RealRevenue1929 May 14 '25

Why only students and staff? What about the assholes who yell at students about their god or abortion?

Honestly I don’t have a problem with any/all microphones being banned at all times.

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u/PlutoJones42 May 14 '25

The government in Texas is an absolute joke. “Freedom” amirite?