H.B. 806 - Protect School Journalists

• Establishes the Student Journalist Press Freedom Restoration Act protecting free speech rights for student journalists in public schools, charter schools, regional schools, UNC constituent institutions, and community colleges.

• Student journalists have the right to determine news, opinion, feature, and advertising content in school-sponsored media regardless of financial support or school facility use, with student media advisers limited to teaching professional journalism standards.

• Prohibits prior restraint of student publications except for content that is libelous, slanderous, obscene, invades privacy, violates law, or creates clear and present danger of unlawful acts or material disruption of school operations.

• Protects student journalists from discipline and student media advisers from dismissal, suspension, reassignment, or retaliation for exercising or protecting free speech and press rights.

• Requires public school units, charter schools, regional schools, UNC institutions, and community colleges to adopt written policies supporting student-developed media and allowing timely appeals; permits students to seek injunctive relief in court to enforce these rights with possible attorney fees awarded to prevailing plaintiffs.