SB 1598 Summary

• Grants student journalists freedom of speech and press in school-sponsored media regardless of financial support or school facilities used.

• Protects student media advisers from dismissal, suspension, or retaliation for supporting protected student journalism or refusing to infringe on constitutional rights.

• Prohibits prior restraint of school-sponsored media content except for libelous/slanderous material, privacy invasions, law violations, or content creating imminent danger of disruption.

• Requires school district and charter school governing boards to adopt written policies with content standards consistent with constitutional protections and including a student journalist code of ethics.

• Provides immunity from civil or criminal liability to schools and their officials for expressions published by students in school-sponsored media.