Virginia HR 431: Public institutions of higher education; free speech.
Status: Agreed to by House (64-Y 31-N) (as of 2017-02-22)
State: Virginia · Session: 2017 · Bill: HR 431
Sponsors: Dave A. LaRock, Benjamin L. Cline, Brenda L. Pogge, C. Todd Gilbert, C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr., Christopher T. Head, Daniel W. Marshall, III, Gordon C. Helsel, Jr., Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr., Jeffrey L. Campbell, Jeffrey M. Bourne, L. Mark Dudenhefer, L. Scott Lingamfelter, Mark L. Cole, Michael J. Webert, N.D. "Rocky" Holcomb III, Nicholas J. Freitas, R. Lee Ware, R. Steven Landes, Richard L. Anderson, Richard P. Bell, Rick L. Morris, Riley E. Ingram, Robert G. Marshall, Sam Rasoul
Bill Text
Bill Tracking - 2017 session > Legislation • • • Virginia General Assembly • LIS Home • LIS Help • Privacy Statement • Live Help • LIS Classic • Login SEARCH SITE QUICK LINKS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Log in LIS Home General Assembly Home - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Session Tracking: Bills & Resolutions Members Committees Meetings Calendars Communications House Minutes Senate Minutes Statistics Lobbyist-in-a-Box Personal lists - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Search: Code of Virginia Administrative Code Bills & Resolutions Summaries OTHER SESSIONS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2023 Session 2022 Session 2022 Special Session I 2021 Session 2021 Special Session I 2021 Special Session II 2020 Session 2020 Special Session I 2019 Session 2019 Special Session I 2018 Session 2018 Special Session I 2018 Special Session II 2017 Session 2016 Session 2015 Session 2015 Special Session I 2014 Session 2014 Special Session I 2013 Session 2013 Special Session I 2012 Session 2012 Special Session I 2011 Session 2011 Special Session I 2010 Session 2009 Session 2009 Special Session I 2008 Session 2008 Special Session I 2008 Special Session II 2007 Session 2006 Session 2006 Special Session I 2005 Session 2004 Session 2004 Special Session I 2004 Special Session II 2003 Session 2002 Session 2001 Session 2001 Special Session I 2000 Session 1999 Session 1998 Session 1998 Special Session I 1997 Session 1996 Session 1995 Session 1994 Session 1994 Special Session I 1994 Special Session II VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL • Code of Virginia • Virginia Administrative Code • Constitution of Virginia • Charters • Authorities • Compacts • Uncodified Acts • RIS Users (account required) SEARCHABLE DATABASES • Bills & Resolutions session legislation • Bill Summaries session summaries • Reports to the General Assembly House and Senate documents • Legislative Liaisons State agency contactsACROSS SESSIONS • Subject Index: Since 1995 • Bills & Resolutions: Since 1994 • Summaries: Since 1994 Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems. 2017 SESSION • history | pdf | print version 17105581D HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 431 Offered February 17, 2017 Encouraging public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth to protect free speech. ---------- Patrons-- LaRock, Anderson, Bell, Richard P., Bourne, Campbell, Cline, Cole, Dudenhefer, Fowler, Freitas, Garrett, Gilbert, Greason, Hayes, Head, Helsel, Holcomb, Ingram, Landes, Lingamfelter, Marshall, D.W., Marshall, R.G., Morris, Pogge, Rasoul, Ware, Webert and Wright ---------- Referred to Committee on Rules ---------- WHEREAS, Article I, Section 12 of the Constitution of Virginia states that "the freedoms of speech and of the press are among the great bulwarks of liberty, and can never be restrained except by despotic governments . . . [and] any citizen may freely speak, write, and publish his sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that right . . . ."; and WHEREAS, public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth have historically embraced a commitment to freedom of speech in institutional policy and should be citadels of free speech and inquiry; and WHEREAS, public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth are subject to both the provisions of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and the control of the General Assembly; and WHEREAS, in recent years, many public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth have abdicated their responsibility to uphold free-speech principles and have become increasingly intolerant of speech that conflicts with certain viewpoints, and such failures make it appropriate for each public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth to restate and confirm its commitment to protect free speech on campus; and WHEREAS, in 1974, the Committee on Free Expression at Yale issued a statement known as the Woodward Report that stands as a classic defense of free expression on campuses; in 2015, the Committee on Freedom of Expression at the University of Chicago issued a similar and widely respected report; and in 1967, the Kalven Committee Report of the University of Chicago articulated the principle of institutional neutrality regarding political and social issues and the essential role of such neutrality in protecting freedom of thought and expression at universities. The principles affirmed by these three highly regarded reports are inspiring articulations of the critical importance of free expression in higher education; and WHEREAS, the House of Delegates views freedom of speech as being of such paramount importance that each public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth should ensure free, robust, and uninhibited debate and deliberation by enrolled students, whether on or off campus; and WHEREAS, th
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