This past month, Rick Scott signed into law two new bills regarding elementary through high school, and higher education reform. These were HB 7055 and SB 4. The latter of which has been the topic of discussion for many college students are across the Sunshine State. This bill, also referred to as the Excellence in Higher Education Act (EHEA), mainly focuses on 2 specific issues. Firstly, it confirms the year-long anticipated announcement that the top 2 Bright Futures scholarships will be expanded to pay up to 100% of a student’s tuition is any Florida college; and additionally, it creates the Campus Free Expression Act (CFEA), which eliminates “free speech zones” in Florida college campuses. The bill actually came about from two separate
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It outlaws so-called “Free Speech Zones” on college campuses. Free Speech Zones refer to designated areas within a college campus one is allowed to organize, protest, and display any form of message no matter how uncomfortable or offended a passerby may get from witnessing the message. This absolutely guarantees one’s first amendment rights inside any college and prevents it from being confined to only a small percentage of the available campus space. The Act also allows an individual to be able to sue colleges if they feel that their first amendment right has been violated. Prior to this law, the degree to which speech has been censored varies depending on the university. Many colleges have been known to outright use Free Speech Zones to shut down certain viewpoints that students or registered school organizations may hold; others use them as a way to monitor outside groups and speakers that come to universities and mention unpopular topics, meanwhile students who attend the college are still allowed to organize as they please outside of free speech zones; and then there are those colleges that have been quite lenient on the issue of free speech regardless of the speech coming from either a student or an outside source. With the wide range of opinion on the issue of free speech, it is clear some schools will be hit harder than
It outlaws so-called “Free Speech Zones” on college campuses. Free Speech Zones refer to designated areas within a college campus one is allowed to organize, protest, and display any form of message no matter how uncomfortable or offended a passerby may get from witnessing the message. This absolutely guarantees one’s first amendment rights inside any college and prevents it from being confined to only a small percentage of the available campus space. The Act also allows an individual to be able to sue colleges if they feel that their first amendment right has been violated. Prior to this law, the degree to which speech has been censored varies depending on the university. Many colleges have been known to outright use Free Speech Zones to shut down certain viewpoints that students or registered school organizations may hold; others use them as a way to monitor outside groups and speakers that come to universities and mention unpopular topics, meanwhile students who attend the college are still allowed to organize as they please outside of free speech zones; and then there are those colleges that have been quite lenient on the issue of free speech regardless of the speech coming from either a student or an outside source. With the wide range of opinion on the issue of free speech, it is clear some schools will be hit harder than