Illinois 2025-2026 Regular Session

Illinois Senate Bill SB1988 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	SB1988 EngrossedLRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b SB1988 Engrossed LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b
2		-	SB1988 Engrossed LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b
	1	+	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1988 Introduced 2/6/2025, by Sen. David Koehler SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 110 ILCS 13/5110 ILCS 13/10110 ILCS 13/20110 ILCS 13/25110 ILCS 13/35 Amends the College Campus Press Act. Defines "public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning". Provides that all public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning is a public forum for expression by the employees producing media at the particular institution of higher learning. Provides that public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning shall not be subject to prior review by public officials of a State-sponsored institution of higher learning. Allows an employee working for or an agent of an entity creating public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning to commence a civil action to obtain appropriate injunctive and declaratory relief as determined by a court for violation of the Act by such State-sponsored institution of higher learning. Provides that expression made by an employee or agent of an entity producing public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning is neither expression of campus policy nor speech attributable to a State-sponsored institution of higher learning. Provides that a State-sponsored institution of higher learning shall be immune from any lawsuit arising from expression actually made by the public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1988 Introduced 2/6/2025, by Sen. David Koehler SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 110 ILCS 13/5110 ILCS 13/10110 ILCS 13/20110 ILCS 13/25110 ILCS 13/35 110 ILCS 13/5 110 ILCS 13/10 110 ILCS 13/20 110 ILCS 13/25 110 ILCS 13/35 Amends the College Campus Press Act. Defines "public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning". Provides that all public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning is a public forum for expression by the employees producing media at the particular institution of higher learning. Provides that public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning shall not be subject to prior review by public officials of a State-sponsored institution of higher learning. Allows an employee working for or an agent of an entity creating public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning to commence a civil action to obtain appropriate injunctive and declaratory relief as determined by a court for violation of the Act by such State-sponsored institution of higher learning. Provides that expression made by an employee or agent of an entity producing public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning is neither expression of campus policy nor speech attributable to a State-sponsored institution of higher learning. Provides that a State-sponsored institution of higher learning shall be immune from any lawsuit arising from expression actually made by the public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b A BILL FOR
	2	+	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1988 Introduced 2/6/2025, by Sen. David Koehler SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
	3	+	110 ILCS 13/5110 ILCS 13/10110 ILCS 13/20110 ILCS 13/25110 ILCS 13/35 110 ILCS 13/5 110 ILCS 13/10 110 ILCS 13/20 110 ILCS 13/25 110 ILCS 13/35
	4	+	110 ILCS 13/5
	5	+	110 ILCS 13/10
	6	+	110 ILCS 13/20
	7	+	110 ILCS 13/25
	8	+	110 ILCS 13/35
	9	+	Amends the College Campus Press Act. Defines "public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning". Provides that all public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning is a public forum for expression by the employees producing media at the particular institution of higher learning. Provides that public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning shall not be subject to prior review by public officials of a State-sponsored institution of higher learning. Allows an employee working for or an agent of an entity creating public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning to commence a civil action to obtain appropriate injunctive and declaratory relief as determined by a court for violation of the Act by such State-sponsored institution of higher learning. Provides that expression made by an employee or agent of an entity producing public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning is neither expression of campus policy nor speech attributable to a State-sponsored institution of higher learning. Provides that a State-sponsored institution of higher learning shall be immune from any lawsuit arising from expression actually made by the public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning
	10	+	LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b
	11	+	LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b
	12	+	A BILL FOR
	13	+	SB1988LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b SB1988 LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b
	14	+	SB1988 LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b
3	15		1 AN ACT concerning education.
4	16		2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
5	17		3 represented in the General Assembly:
6	18		4 Section 5. The College Campus Press Act is amended by
7	19		5 changing Sections 5, 10, 20, 25, and 35 as follows:
8	20		6 (110 ILCS 13/5)
9	21		7 Sec. 5. Definitions. For purposes of this Act:
10	22		8 "Campus media" means any matter that is prepared,
11	23		9 substantially written, published, or broadcast by students at
12	24		10 State-sponsored institutions of higher learning, that is
13	25		11 distributed or generally made available, either free of charge
14	26		12 or for a fee, to members of the student body, and that is
15	27		13 prepared under the direction of a student media adviser.
16	28		14 "Campus media" does not include media that is intended for
17	29		15 distribution or transmission solely in the classrooms in which
18	30		16 it is produced.
19	31		17 "Campus policy" means the views and positions of
20	32		18 State-sponsored institutions of higher learning promulgated by
21	33		19 administrators, officials, or other agents of these
22	34		20 institutions.
23	35		21 "Collegiate media adviser" means a person who is employed,
24	36		22 appointed, or designated by the State-sponsored institution of
25	37		23 higher learning to supervise or provide instruction relating
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29		-	SB1988 Engrossed LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b
	41	+	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1988 Introduced 2/6/2025, by Sen. David Koehler SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
	42	+	110 ILCS 13/5110 ILCS 13/10110 ILCS 13/20110 ILCS 13/25110 ILCS 13/35 110 ILCS 13/5 110 ILCS 13/10 110 ILCS 13/20 110 ILCS 13/25 110 ILCS 13/35
	43	+	110 ILCS 13/5
	44	+	110 ILCS 13/10
	45	+	110 ILCS 13/20
	46	+	110 ILCS 13/25
	47	+	110 ILCS 13/35
	48	+	Amends the College Campus Press Act. Defines "public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning". Provides that all public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning is a public forum for expression by the employees producing media at the particular institution of higher learning. Provides that public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning shall not be subject to prior review by public officials of a State-sponsored institution of higher learning. Allows an employee working for or an agent of an entity creating public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning to commence a civil action to obtain appropriate injunctive and declaratory relief as determined by a court for violation of the Act by such State-sponsored institution of higher learning. Provides that expression made by an employee or agent of an entity producing public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning is neither expression of campus policy nor speech attributable to a State-sponsored institution of higher learning. Provides that a State-sponsored institution of higher learning shall be immune from any lawsuit arising from expression actually made by the public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning
	49	+	LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b
	50	+	LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b
	51	+	A BILL FOR
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33		-	SB1988 Engrossed - 2 - LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b
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	57	+	110 ILCS 13/5
	58	+	110 ILCS 13/10
	59	+	110 ILCS 13/20
	60	+	110 ILCS 13/25
	61	+	110 ILCS 13/35
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	65	+	LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b
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34	80		1 to campus media.
35	81		2 "Collegiate student editor" means a student at a
36	82		3 State-sponsored institution of higher learning who edits
37	83		4 information prepared by collegiate student journalists for
38	84		5 dissemination in campus media.
39	85		6 "Collegiate student journalist" means a student at a
40	86		7 State-sponsored institution of higher learning who gathers,
41	87		8 compiles, writes, photographs, records, or prepares
42	88		9 information for dissemination in campus media.
43	89		10 "Prevailing party" includes any party who obtains some of
44	90		11 his or her requested relief through judicial judgment in his
45	91		12 or her favor, who obtains some of his or her requested relief
46	92		13 through a settlement agreement approved by the court, or whose
47	93		14 pursuit of a non-frivolous claim was a catalyst for a
48	94		15 unilateral change in position by the opposing party relative
49	95		16 to the relief sought.
50	96		17 "Public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of
51	97		18 higher learning" means media created and distributed in print
52	98		19 or audiovisual format which has been produced by an entity
53	99		20 receiving public funding and which has a license or other
54	100		21 agreement with a State-sponsored institution of higher
55	101		22 learning to use that institution's resources for the purposes
56	102		23 of producing or distributing the media for which the entity
57	103		24 receives public funding.
58	104		25 "State-sponsored institution of higher learning" means the
59	105		26 University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Chicago
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	111	+	SB1988 - 2 - LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b
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	114	+	SB1988- 3 -LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b SB1988 - 3 - LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b
	115	+	SB1988 - 3 - LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b
70	116		1 State University, Eastern Illinois University, Governors State
71	117		2 University, Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois
72	118		3 University, Northern Illinois University, Western Illinois
73	119		4 University, and public community colleges subject to the
74	120		5 Public Community College Act.
75	121		6 (Source: P.A. 95-580, eff. 6-1-08.)
76	122		7 (110 ILCS 13/10)
77	123		8 Sec. 10. Public forum.
78	124		9 (a) All campus media produced primarily by students at a
79	125		10 State-sponsored institution of higher learning is a public
80	126		11 forum for expression by the student journalists and editors at
81	127		12 the particular institution. Campus media, whether
82	128		13 campus-sponsored or noncampus-sponsored, is not subject to
83	129		14 prior review by public officials of a State-sponsored
84	130		15 institution of higher learning.
85	131		16 (b) All public media produced at a State-sponsored
86	132		17 institution of higher learning is a public forum for
87	133		18 expression by the employees producing media, including
88	134		19 journalists and editors, at the particular institution of
89	135		20 higher learning. Public media produced at a State-sponsored
90	136		21 institution of higher learning shall not be subject to prior
91	137		22 review by public officials of a State-sponsored institution of
92	138		23 higher learning.
93	139		24 (Source: P.A. 95-580, eff. 6-1-08.)
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99		-	SB1988 ~~Engrossed~~ - 3 - LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b
	145	+	SB1988 - 3 - LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b
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	148	+	SB1988- 4 -LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b SB1988 - 4 - LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b
	149	+	SB1988 - 4 - LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b
104	150		1 (110 ILCS 13/20)
105	151		2 Sec. 20. Injunction and declaratory relief. Either: (1) A
106	152		3 collegiate student enrolled in a State-sponsored institution
107	153		4 of higher learning; (2) or a collegiate media advisor of a
108	154		5 State-sponsored institution of higher learning; or (3) an
109	155		6 employee working for or an agent of an entity creating public
110	156		7 media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher
111	157		8 learning may commence a civil action to obtain appropriate
112	158		9 injunctive and declaratory relief as determined by a court for
113	159		10 violation of Section 10 of this Act by such State-sponsored
114	160		11 institution of higher learning. Upon motion, a court may award
115	161		12 attorney's fees to a prevailing party in a civil action
116	162		13 brought under this Section.
117	163		14 (Source: P.A. 95-580, eff. 6-1-08.)
118	164		15 (110 ILCS 13/25)
119	165		16 Sec. 25. Campus policy and speech distinguished.
120	166		17 Expression made by a collegiate student journalist, collegiate
121	167		18 student editor, employee or agent of an entity producing
122	168		19 public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of
123	169		20 higher learning, or other contributor in campus media or
124	170		21 public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of
125	171		22 higher learning is neither an expression of campus policy nor
126	172		23 speech attributable to a State-sponsored institution of higher
127	173		24 learning.
128	174		25 (Source: P.A. 95-580, eff. 6-1-08.)
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	180	+	SB1988 - 4 - LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b
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138		-	SB1988 Engrossed - 5 - LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b
139		-	1 (110 ILCS 13/35)
140		-	2 Sec. 35. Immunity. A State-sponsored institution of higher
141		-	3 learning shall be immune from any lawsuit arising from
142		-	4 expression actually made in campus media or made by public
143		-	5 media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher
144		-	6 learning, with the exception of the institution's own
145		-	7 expression.
146		-	8 (Source: P.A. 95-580, eff. 6-1-08.)
	183	+	SB1988- 5 -LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b SB1988 - 5 - LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b
	184	+	SB1988 - 5 - LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b
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	190	+	SB1988 - 5 - LRB104 12135 LNS 22234 b