SPRINGFIELD - State Senator Dave Koehler is sponsoring legislation to strengthen press protections for public media produced at state-supported colleges and universities in Illinois.
“Student and campus-based public media play an intimate role in informing their communities,” said Koehler (D-Peoria). “This bill would help protect editorial independence and make clear that public officials at state universities should not be controlling newsroom content.”
House Bill 4420 would modify the College Campus Press Act to define public media produced at a state-supported institution of higher learning. The measure states that public media at these institutions would not be subject to prior review by the institution's public officials, and expression by employees or agents producing the media would not be considered speech attributable to the institution itself.
The bill would also allow an employee or agent of an entity that creates or distributes public media at a state-supported institution of higher learning to bring a civil action for injunctive or declaratory relief if the act is violated.
“When journalists have the freedom to report without interference, the public is better served,” Koehler said.
HB4420 passed the Senate Executive Committee on Wednesday.
