HB1518--STUDENTASSOCIATIONSATINSTITUTIONSOFHIGHERLEARNING
SPONSOR: Hudson
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPass"bytheSpecialCommitteeon
GovernmentAccountability byavoteof8to6.
Thisbilldefines"adverseaction","belief-basedstudent
association",and"benefit"andprohibitspublicinstitutionsof
higherlearningfromtakinganyactionorenforcinganypolicythat
deniesabelief-basedstudentassociationbenefitsavailableto
otherstudentassociations.
Thebillprohibitsdiscrimination againstabelief-basedstudent
associationbasedonitsrequirementthatleadersofthe
associationadheretoitssincerelyheldbeliefs,sincerepractice
requirements,orstandardsofconduct.
Thebillauthorizesaggrievedbelief-basedstudentassociationsto
seekappropriatereliefinajudicialoradministrative proceeding
againstapublicinstitutionofhigherlearningthatviolatesthe
requirementsofthebill.
ThisbillisthesameHB136(2023)andHB1724(2022).
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthisbillprovidesclarityto
universitiesinthestateonwhatprotectionsbelief-based
associationshaveoncampus.Thebillissimilartolanguage
adoptedinotherstatesandwillprovideaclearstandardfor
associationstopointtowhilepreventingpotentiallitigation.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Hudson;
MissouriCatholicConference;CurtisCole,ChiAlphaCampus
Ministries,USA;1stAmendmentPartnership;Armorvine;andXitong
Bai.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythatthisbillis
discriminatory initsnature,andthatcertainreligioustenetsare
inflammatory. Publicdollarsshouldnotbespenttopromoteor
authorizediscrimination, andthisbillwillallowclubstoexist
oncampuswithleadershipthatespousestheseviews.Student
groupshavetheopportunitytoelecttheirleadershipandshouldbe
allowedtochoosewhicheverleaderstheywantwithoutsuch
restrictions.
Theopponentsalsosaythatthegovernment'sinterferenceinthe
operationsofstudentgroupsconstitutesoverreach,contendingthat
thisbillinfringesupontheFirstAmendmentrightsofthe
students. TestifyinginpersonagainstthebillwereAmericansUnitedfor
SeparationofChurchandState;MissouriNEA;BrianKaylor,
Word&Way;JosephAlbertJefferies;PROMO&MoStateNAACP;Thomas
Way,TheMissouriChapteroftheNationalAssociationofSocial
Workers;Dava-LeighBrush,Moeep-A;MichaelWalk;ZariaChaney;Dr.
SusanShelby;JessHarman;AbortionActionMissouri(FormerlyPro
ChoiceMissouri);AdvocatesofPlannedParenthoodoftheSt.Louis
RegionandSouthwestMissouri;andtheACLUofMissouri.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.