Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Student Press Bill Moving Ahead in OR

Oregon could be the next state to broaden student media freedoms.

On Monday, the Oregon Senate approved House Bill 3279, and sent it off to Gov. Ted Kulongoski for review and signature. The bill makes students in high schools and higher education institutions responsible for the content of school-sponsored media. Amendments were made in the Senate to soften the measure, stripping out specific protections for student media advisers, restrictions on prior review and language about "public forums."

The Oregon bill was introduced on the heels of Washington state's own House Bill 1307, brought forward this past session by Rep. Dave Upthegrove (D-Des Moines). That bill died in the Senate, though the lawmaker told attendees at a journalism workshop this past May at Central Washington University that he plans to reintroduce the measure again next year -- but may start with a higher ed-only bill.

No comments: