HB2932 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 10290 LNS 20364 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB2932

Introduced 2/6/2025, by Rep. Nabeela Syed

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 80/20

Amends the Speech Rights of Student Journalists Act. Provides that any student or student media adviser may institute proceedings for injunctive or declaratory relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to enforce the rights to free speech or free press. Provides that nothing shall be construed to create any private action on behalf of a student other than to seek injunctive relief allowing the publication of the speech in question. Allows a court to award reasonable attorney's fees to a plaintiff that substantially prevails.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Speech Rights of Student Journalists Act is amended by changing Section 20 as follows:

(105 ILCS 80/20)

Sec. 20. Liability. No expression made by students in the exercise of freedom of speech or freedom of the press shall be deemed to be an expression of school policy, and no school district or employee or parent, legal guardian, or official of the school district shall be held liable in any civil or criminal action for any expression made or published by students, except in cases of willful or wanton misconduct.

Any student, individually or through a parent or guardian, or student media adviser may institute proceedings for injunctive or declaratory relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to enforce the rights provided in this Section. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to create any private action on behalf of a student other than to seek injunctive relief allowing the publication of the speech in question. A court may award reasonable attorney's fees to a plaintiff that substantially prevails.

(Source: P.A. 99-678, eff. 7-29-16.)