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2013 SESSION

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HB 1617 Student organizations; religious or political organizations may determine core functions, etc.

Introduced by: C. Todd Gilbert | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED HOUSE:

Higher education; student organizations. Permits, to the extent allowed by law, religious or political student organizations at public institutions of higher education to determine that only persons committed to the organization's mission may conduct certain activities. The bill also prohibits, to the extent allowed by law, public institutions of higher education from discriminating against a student organization that makes such a determination. This bill is identical to SB 1074.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Higher education; student organizations. Prohibits public institutions of higher education that grant recognition of and access to any student organization or group from discriminating against a student organization or group on the basis of the religious, political, philosophical, or other content of the organization or group's speech. The bill authorizes religious or political student organizations or groups to determine that ordering the organization's internal affairs, selecting the organization's leaders and members, defining the organization's doctrines, and resolving the organization's disputes are in furtherance of the organization's religious or political mission and that only persons committed to that mission should conduct those activities. The bill also prohibits public institutions of higher education from denying recognition or any privilege or benefit to any religious or political student organization or group that limits its core functions to persons committed to its mission.