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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - FLOOR VERSION
STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2nd Session of the 58th Legislature (2022)
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
HOUSE BILL NO. 3543 By: Caldwell (Chad) of the
House
and
Daniels of the Senate
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
An Act relating to higher education; establishing the
Oklahoma Free Speech Committee to the Oklahoma State
Regents for Higher Education; specifying duties of
the committee; directing for completion of free
speech survey; directing the committee to provide or
approve training materials; directing for collection
of complaints; requiring training; providing for
codification; and providing an effective date .
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3205.11 of Title 70, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
There is hereby created the Oklahoma Free Speech Com mittee to
the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
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SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new sect ion of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3205.12 of Title 70, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
The duties of the Oklahoma Free Speech Committ ee shall be to:
1. Review the free speech policies of Ok lahoma public
universities;
2. Review any free speech complaint s filed with the committee
following Section 4 of this act;
3. Review university training on free speech for impro vements;
4. Make recommendations to the universities on improvements to
free speech policies and training; and
5. Prepare the Free Speech Survey following Section 3 of this
act.
SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3205.13 of Title 70, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
The Oklahoma Free Speech Committe e shall survey the state of
free speech on public univer sity campuses by interviewing all
faculty, staff, and stu dents every four years. The survey results
shall be made publicly available on the website for the Oklahoma
State Regents for Higher Education and a copy of the report shall be
made available to the G overnor, the Oklahoma Secretary of Education ,
the Speaker for the Oklahoma House of Repr esentatives, and the
Oklahoma Senate Pro Tempore.
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SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3205.14 of Title 70, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
The Oklahoma Free Speech Committee shall develop a process of
collecting complaints of free speech violations on public university
campuses and advise complainants of their rights. Universities
shall publish contact inform ation on how to report free speech
concerns to the Oklahoma Free Speech Committee on their website.
SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statu tes as Section 3205.15 of Title 70, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, r eads as follows:
The Oklahoma Free Speech Committee shall either develop a First
Amendment training or approve of an outside First Amendment training
that shall be required for all college deans, heads of departments,
and individuals responsible for establ ishing university free speech
policies or handling free speech complaints . The Committee shall
either revise or reapprove the training every two years . The
training will be required every two years, or upon hire or promo tion
to one of the aforenoted roles.
SECTION 6. This act shall become effective November 1, 2022.
COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND CAREER TECH,
dated 03/01/2022 - DO PASS, As Amended and Coauthored.