HB 2338
An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, providing for safeguarding personal expression at K-12 schools.
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Sign in to take action- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Bill overview
This bill, titled the ‘Safeguarding Personal Expression at K-12 Schools’ (SPEAKS) Act, aims to protect students’ rights to express their religious, political, and ideological views within Pennsylvania’s public schools. It requires school entities to adopt policies that align with student speech rights, ensuring they are not penalized for expressing these viewpoints in the same way as other students. The bill also clarifies protections for student organizations and outlines limitations on expression, such as prohibiting true threats and disruptive conduct.
Key provisions
- Requires school entities to adopt policies protecting student speech and expression.
- Defines key terms like ‘school entity’ and ‘student’ for the purpose of the bill.
- Prohibits discrimination or penalties against students for expressing religious, political, or ideological viewpoints.
- Protects student organizations’ rights to express viewpoints and access school facilities.
- Lists specific examples of protected speech, including expressing viewpoints in class assignments and organizing student gatherings.
- Outlines limitations on protected speech, such as prohibiting true threats and disruptive conduct.
- Establishes a private cause of action for students harmed by violations of the bill.
- Specifies a two-year statute of limitations for filing lawsuits related to violations.
Who is affected
- Students
- Public school entities (school districts, charter schools, etc.)
- School administrators and teachers
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsor
Barbara Gleim
Cosponsors
David Zimmerman
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