Postsecondary education: Free Speech on Campus Act.

Existing law establishes the University of California, established under the California Constitution as a public trust under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, independent institutions of higher education, and private postsecondary educational institutions as the segments of postsecondary education in this state. This bill would require a campus of the California Community Colleges or the California State University, and would request a campus of the University of California, to make and disseminate a free speech statement that affirms the importance of, and the campus' commitment to promoting, freedom of expression. The bill would provide that, for its purposes, posting the statement online on the campus internet website would be considered sufficient to meet the requirement to disseminate the statement. Because the bill would impose new duties on campuses of the California Community Colleges, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.