Rep. Elliott Naishtat (D-Austin) has introduced a bill intended to protect student free speech rights.  Though the bill's wording is somewhat confusing and will likely be revised before moving much further in the process, its intention was to ensure students' free speech rights on campus were as protected as those of ordinary citizens off campus.  Naishtat's aid explained the intent as "If it's speech that is protected under the First Amendment, we're asking that students not be punished for it," to the Student Press Law Center. 

The Texas bill appears to be part of an overall better legislative season for the free exchange of ideas on campus.  Along with this bill, legislators in Washington (SB 5946) and Kentucky (HB 43) are attempting to protect student press rights.  Though there have been some bills to restrict faculty speech or otherwise interfere in classroom content, none seem likely to pass at this point.  Already, bills to regulate science curriculum in Oklahoma (SB 320) and Iowa (HF 183) have failed and an Indiana bill to implement ACTA's "intellectual diversity" died of inaction. 

Is 2009 a sign of good things to come?