SB 1988 Illinois Senate · 104th Regular Session

COLLEGE PRESS-PUBLIC MEDIA

Summary
Amends the College Campus Press Act. Defines "public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning". Provides that all public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning is a public forum for expression by the employees producing media at the particular institution of higher learning. Provides that public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning shall not be subject to prior review by public officials of a State-sponsored institution of higher learning. Allows an employee working for or an agent of an entity creating public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning to commence a civil action to obtain appropriate injunctive and declaratory relief as determined by a court for violation of the Act by such State-sponsored institution of higher learning. Provides that expression made by an employee or agent of an entity producing public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning is neither expression of campus policy nor speech attributable to a State-sponsored institution of higher learning. Provides that a State-sponsored institution of higher learning shall be immune from any lawsuit arising from expression actually made by the public media produced at a State-sponsored institution of higher learning
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Apr 2025
Committee Review
Jun 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Apr 10, 2025 Last action Jun 1, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Engrossed · 3 edits · Apr 10, 2025
MINOR
This bill updates the College Campus Press Act to clarify that media produced by employees and agents at state universities is a public forum free from prior review by officials. It explicitly states that individual expression in this media does not represent official campus policy and grants the institutions immunity from lawsuits regarding that expression.
Scope change
The bill expands the definition of protected media to include content produced by employees and agents, not just students, and clarifies the legal status of such content regarding institutional liability.
DEFINITION

Added a new section defining expression by employees and agents as neither campus policy nor attributable speech to the institution.

ENFORCEMENT

Added immunity provisions protecting state universities from lawsuits arising from expression made in campus or public media.

REQUIREMENT

Reformatted the bill text to reflect its status as an engrossed version with updated page headers and line numbering.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 10, 2025

How they voted

3519
Passed · 4 other
Total votes 58
Apr 10, 2025
D Democratic39
35 Yea 4
89% Yea
R Republican19
19 Nay
100% Nay
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
83
Key actions
10
Committee
20
Amendments
2
Jun 1, 2025
Committee
House Floor Amendment No. 2 Rule 19(c) / Re-referred to Rules Committee
lower
Jun 1, 2025
Committee
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Rule 19(c) / Re-referred to Rules Committee
lower
Jun 1, 2025
Committee
Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee
lower
May 23, 2025
Lower · Passed
House Floor Amendment No. 2 Recommends Be Adopted Executive Committee; 008-004-000
lower
May 23, 2025
Lower · Passed
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Recommends Be Adopted Executive Committee; 008-004-000
lower
May 23, 2025
Lower · Passed
House Floor Amendment No. 2 Rules Refers to Executive Committee
lower
May 23, 2025
Lower · Passed
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Rules Refers to Executive Committee
lower
May 23, 2025
Committee
House Floor Amendment No. 2 Referred to Rules Committee
lower
May 23, 2025
Introduced
House Floor Amendment No. 2 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl
lower
May 23, 2025
Committee
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules Committee
lower
May 23, 2025
Introduced
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl
lower
May 23, 2025
Lower · Passed
Do Pass / Short Debate Executive Committee; 008-004-000
lower
May 23, 2025
Lower · Passed
Motion Filed to Suspend Rule 21 Executive Committee; Rep. Kam Buckner
lower
May 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee/Final Action Deadline Extended-9(b) May 31, 2025
lower
May 22, 2025
Committee
Assigned to Executive Committee
lower
May 9, 2025
Committee
Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee
lower
Apr 17, 2025
Committee
Assigned to Judiciary - Civil Committee
lower
Apr 11, 2025
Committee
Referred to Rules Committee
lower
Apr 10, 2025
Introduced
Arrived in House
lower
Apr 10, 2025
Upper · Passed
Third Reading - Passed; 036-019-000
upper
Apr 3, 2025
Upper · Passed
Do Pass Executive; 008-004-000
upper
Mar 21, 2025
Upper · Passed
Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As April 4, 2025
upper
Mar 4, 2025
Committee
Assigned to Executive
upper
Feb 6, 2025
Committee
Referred to Assignments
upper
2 primary · 44 co-sponsors

Sponsors