AN ACT Relating to free speech information for students at institutions of higher education; adding a new section to chapter 28B.10 RCW; and creating a new section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that freedom of speech is central to a college's or university's central functions of teaching, learning, research, and scholarship. Moreover, the legislature finds that expression of the widest range of viewpoints should be encouraged, free from institutional orthodoxy and internal or external coercion. Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature that all students at the state's institutions of higher education participate in a course of instruction about the rights afforded to individuals through the first amendment and the institutions' policies to encourage the practice of free speech on the college's or university's campuses.

Beginning with the 2024-25 academic year, each institution of higher education shall take reasonable steps to ensure that the institution of higher education presents, and each incoming student participates in, a free speech fundamentals workshop. Each institution of higher education is encouraged to present the workshop during student orientation or as early as possible in the academic year. The scope of the workshop must include: Instruction on each institution of higher education's academic freedom and free speech policies; potential examples of violations of free speech policies; and the types of speech that are protected. Each institution of higher education is strongly encouraged to use course material developed in consultation with experts in constitutional law and freedom of speech.