Overview
- Tennessee’s Legislature passed the “Charlie Kirk Act” and sent it to Gov. Bill Lee, with some provisions taking effect on signature and the rest on July 1.
- The measure bars public colleges from canceling invited speakers for their viewpoints, requires adoption of the University of Chicago free‑expression policy, and mandates institutional neutrality.
- Protests that “substantially interfere” with events — such as shouting down, blocking views, or staging walkouts — could trigger discipline up to suspension or expulsion for students, and faculty could face sanctions.
- The bill shields controversial viewpoints from disinvitation, including opposition to abortion and LGBTQ identities, which supporters say protects debate and critics say will deter counter‑speech.
- Kansas offers a parallel track, as lawmakers there overrode a veto to enact a KIRK campus speech law and added budget penalties for K–12 walkouts, prompting free‑speech objections that cite Tinker v. Des Moines.