Senior golfer Nick Huggins said he thinks student athletes should be able to protest without fear of their scholarships being revoked, as a bill to give student athletes that freedom goes to a higher education hearing Tuesday.

The Campus Demonstrations Policy Act, SB2279, was introduced by Sen. Napoleon Harris III (D-Harvey) on Jan. 27 and will prohibit any institution of higher learning, approved by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, from revoking a student athlete’s athletic or academic scholarship as a result of protesting.

“I don’t think [universities] should hold that power to revoke [athletic] scholarships for a civilized protest,” Huggins said. “The students are what make colleges, so we should at least have that power if there is something not right going on our campus.”

The bill would allow the student athletes to use their freedom of speech and give them the opportunity to express themselves, Harris said.

The bill came about after legislators in Missouri intended to punish African-American football players who demanded the resignation of the head of the University of Missouri after inaction against racism on campus, according to a Feb. 2 press release from the Illinois Senate Democratic Staff.

“Legislators in Missouri filed a motion to present a bill saying if students are to protest they could possibly lose their scholarship,” Harris said. “I just wanted to make sure that we don’t have any legislators here in Illinois making anything as [naive] as that. I want to ensure our student athletes are a high priority here in [Illinois] and their voices should be heard.”

The bill extends to students in public universities and colleges, and any school that utilizes Monetary Award Program funding.

Harris, a former Northwestern University student athlete on scholarship, said he hopes this piece of legislation will not only protect the student athlete’s scholarship and freedom of speech, but will enable them to participate in protests or assemblies without worrying about repercussions.

“Students shouldn’t be treated like property just because they’re on scholarship,” Harris said. “If [student athletes] don’t agree with what the university is doing then [they] either say nothing or lose their scholarship… . Student athletes are people, and their rights should not be violated by not having an opportunity to speak out when they feel something is not right.”

The legislation is restricted to student athletes, but there is opportunity to expand to all students who receive scholarships, Harris said.