There is a fine line surrounding freedom of speech and who can exercise it, but Illinois lawmakers are debating whether to ensure college students possess that right.

The College Campus Press Act (SB0729) “provides that all campus media produced primarily by students at a state-sponsored institution of higher learning is a public forum for expression by the student journalists and editors at the particular institution. Provides that campus media, whether campus-sponsored or non-campus-sponsored, is not subject to prior review by public officials of those institutions.”

State Sen. Susan Garrett (D-Lake Forest), sponsor of the bill, feels the issue is a powerful one.

“Freedom of speech isn’t something that should be taken away on a college campus,” Garrett said.

Garrett said reactions to the bill have been positive thus far.

“I’ve been hearing good things from people all around the state,” Garrett said. “I can’t imagine why legislators would vote against it. Freedom of speech is what we’re all about.”

Many believe the bill to be a reaction to Hosty v. Carter, the controversial Supreme Court case that determined college students have as little right to free speech as high school students.

“With Hosty v. Carter, it was said a college has the right to come in and censor – no, they don’t,” said Brian Thornton, associate professor of communication and the journalism area coordinator. “This couldn’t change the earlier decision, but in the future, student press could have more freedom.”

As a limited public forum, the Northern Star would not see much of a change if the bill is passed.

“I think it’s been a long time since anyone’s tried to muzzle the student press at NIU,” Thornton said. “The Star is completely dependent on ads for revenue, instead of student fees, which gives the paper a certain amount of independence.”

Thornton said the Northern Star avoids entanglement because it is not affiliated with classroom activity.

“This goes back to Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier [a court case which ruled in favor of the Hazelwood school district, saying that high school students do not have the right to free speech],” Thornton said. “A lot of people have been trying to push it onto college. As college students, they’re adults. High school students are not adults.”

College journalists can gain the most experience and knowledge from making their own decisions, said James Tidwell, professor of journalism at Eastern Illinois University.

“They learn by doing, by making mistakes,” Tidwell said. “They’re not ‘playing’ journalists – they’re actual journalists. If there’s someone telling them what they can and can’t do, they don’t get the leadership and responsibility skills.”

Problems with content review are still present among many college publications, and have jeopardized jobs.

“An adviser at Kansas State University was terminated because of content issues,” Tidwell said. “The case is in litigation still.”

Tidwell feels the bill can only help college press.

“California recently enacted a similar law,” Tidwell said. “It doesn’t hurt; it puts it in red-letter law. I would support it 100 percent.”

The bill will be introduced in the higher education committee, Garrett said.