Legislature approves college free speech

The Senate approved a bill today by Assemblyman Leland Yee to protect the freedom of speech for college newspapers. AB 2581, wich passed out of the Senate 31-2 now goes to Gov. Schwarzenegger for a signature. California would become the first state to specifically prohibit censorship of college student newspapers. The bill came about after a U.S. Circuit Court ruled that administrators could require that newspapers submit articles for review. Here's the statement from Yee: “College journalists deserve the same protections as any other journalist,” said Speaker pro Tem Yee. “Having true freedom of the press is essential on college campuses and it is a fundamental part of a young journalists training for real world reporting. Allowing a school administration to censor is contrary to the democratic process and the ability of a student newspaper to serve as the watchdog and bring sunshine to the actions of school administrators.”