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HB 1473

BillStateVAHouse
Higher educational institutions, public; restrictions on student speech, limitations.
About This Bill
Latest Action · Jul 21, 2026
Continued from last session
Session
2027
Introduced
Jan 23, 2026
Primary Sponsor
Charlie Schmidt· primary

Summary

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A BILL to amend and reenact § 23.1-401 of the Code of Virginia, relating to public institutions of higher education; students and campus; restrictions on student speech; limitations. Public institutions of higher education; students and campus; restrictions on student speech; limitations. Clarifies the requirements for and limitations on the ability of a public institution of higher education to impose restrictions on the time, place, or manner of student speech that occurs in outdoor areas of the institution's campus and is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States by (i) clarifying the criteria for demonstrating that the restriction is permissible; (ii) prohibiting any public institution of higher education from imposing certain restrictions, punishments, policies, or restraints designed to restrict student speech in ways that violate the First Amendment rights of students, faculty, and staff; and (iii) requiring any public institution of higher education that deems any student speech or assembly unlawful and imposes a restriction on the time, place, or manner of such speech to submit to the Senate Committee on Education and Health and the House Committee on Education within 45 days of imposing such restriction a report detailing the justification for such restriction, demonstrating how the restriction satisfies the criteria required pursuant to applicable law and the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

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