Vetoed by Governor Doug Ducey

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with House amendments and pass a bill that prohibits schools from censoring student media.

Highlights:

• Authorizes student journalists to exercise freedom of speech and freedom of the press in school-sponsored media (Sec. 1).

• Prohibits student journalists from being limited solely because the school-sponsored media are either (Sec. 1):

• Supported financially by the local school system, public school, community college or university; or

• Produced in conjunction with a class in which a student journalist is enrolled.

• Specifies that this bill does not authorize or protect content that is libelous or slanderous, a violation of federal law, an attempt to incite students to violate law or school-district regulations, or an unwarranted invasion of privacy (Sec. 1).

• Prohibits student journalists and media advisers from being dismissed, suspended, disciplined, reassigned, transferred, or retaliated against for acting in accordance with this bill (Sec. 1).

• Requires each governing board of a public or charter school district  to adopt a written policy for student journalists that includes standards for published content and a code of ethics (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass with amendment a bill that prohibits schools from censoring student media.

Highlights:

• Authorizes student journalists to exercise freedom of speech and freedom of the press in school-sponsored media (Sec. 1).

• Prohibits student journalists from being limited solely because the school-sponsored media are either (Sec. 1):

• Supported financially by the local school system, public school, community college or university; or

• Produced in conjunction with a class in which a student journalist is enrolled.

• Specifies that this bill does not authorize or protect content that is libelous or slanderous, a violation of federal law, an attempt to incite students to violate law or school-district regulations, or an unwarranted invasion of privacy (Sec. 1).

• Prohibits student journalists and media advisers from being dismissed, suspended, disciplined, reassigned, transferred, or retaliated against for acting in accordance with this bill (Sec. 1).

• Requires each governing board of a public or charter school district  to adopt a written policy for student journalists that includes standards for published content and a code of ethics (Sec. 1).