HB875--STUDENTASSOCIATIONSATINSTITUTIONSOFHIGHERLEARNING
SPONSOR: Chappell
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPass"bytheStandingCommitteeon
EmergingIssuesbyavoteof10to3.
Thisbilldefines"adverseaction","belief-basedstudent
association",and"benefit"andprohibitspublicinstitutionsof
higherlearningfromtakinganyactionorenforcinganypolicythat
deniesabelief-basedstudentassociationbenefitsavailableto
otherstudentassociations.
Thebillprohibitsdiscrimination againstabelief-basedstudent
associationbasedonitsrequirementthatleadersofthe
associationadheretoitssincerelyheldbeliefs,practice
requirements,orstandardsofconduct.
Thebillauthorizesaggrievedbelief-basedstudentassociationsto
seekappropriatereliefinajudicialoradministrative proceeding
involvingapublicinstitutionofhigherlearningthatviolatesthe
requirementsofthebill.
ThisbillisthesameasSB160(2025)andHB1518(2024).
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthisbillcodifieswhatisalready
aconstitutional rightenjoyedbyMissouricitizens,inthatthe
provisionsofthisbillcurbseffortsmadebypubliccollegesand
universitiesfrominfringinguponastudent'sreligiousspeech.
Supportersfurthersaythatthisbilldoesnotpreventstudents
frombecomingamemberofanygrouporclub,butratherfocuseson
thoseseekingaleadershipposition.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Chappell;
MissouriCatholicConference;1stAmendmentPartnership;PaulLogan
Spena,AllianceDefendingFreedom;JonathanR.Whitehead;Timothy
T.Faber;AmericansForProsperity.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythatthisbillwill
resultinthefundingoforganizationsthatprimarilyadvocate
hatred.Thisinturnwillrequirethatapublicuniversityendorse
certainkindsofspeech,whichisunconstitutional. Opponents
furthersaythatthisistantamounttostate-sponsored
discrimination, whichwouldleadtomoreviolence.
TestifyinginpersonagainstthebillwereMissouriNEA;Arch
Kimbriel;AmericanCivilLibertiesUnionofMissouri;NimrodChapel
Jr.,MONAACP;PromoMissouri;ZariaChaney. Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.