Requiring free speech information for students at institutions of higher education.

 S-0173.1

SENATE BILL 5607

State of Washington

69th Legislature

2025 Regular Session

By Senators Warnick and Hasegawa

Read first time 01/31/25. Referred to Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development.

AN ACT Relating to free speech information for students at institutions of higher education; adding a new section to chapter 28B.10 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that freedom of speech is central to a college's or university's central functions of teaching, learning, research, and scholarship. Moreover, the legislature finds that expression of the widest range of viewpoints should be encouraged, free from institutional orthodoxy and internal or external coercion. Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature that all students at the state's institutions of higher education participate in a course of instruction about the rights afforded to individuals through the first amendment and the institutions' policies to encourage the practice of free speech on the college's or university's campuses.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28B.10 RCW to read as follows: