free speech and academic freedom at University of Wisconsin System institutions and technical colleges, due process in disciplinary proceedings at University of Wisconsin System institutions and technical colleges, and causes of action against the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and technical college district boards

Wisconsin Legislature: AB501: Bill Text

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AB501: Bill Text

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2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-0621/1
ARG:cdc
2025 ASSEMBLY BILL 501
October 9, 2025 - Introduced by Representatives
Nedweski
,
Murphy
,
Gustafson
,
Allen
,
Armstrong
,
Behnke
,
Brill
,
Dallman
,
Dittrich
,
Donovan
,
Duchow
,
Gundrum
,
Knodl
,
Kreibich
,
Krug
,
Maxey
,
Melotik
,
Moses
,
Mursau
,
O'Connor
,
Penterman
,
Piwowarczyk
,
Sortwell
,
Steffen
,
Summerfield
,
Swearingen
,
Tusler
and
Wichgers
, cosponsored by Senators
Cabral-Guevara
,
Kapenga
,
Tomczyk
and
Wanggaard
. Referred to Committee on Colleges and Universities.
AB501,1,6
1
An Act

to create
36.41, 36.42, 38.44 and 38.45 of the statutes;
relating to:
free
2
speech and academic freedom at University of Wisconsin System institutions
3
and technical colleges, due process in disciplinary proceedings at University of
4
Wisconsin System institutions and technical colleges, and causes of action
5
against the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and
6
technical college district boards.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill establishes certain standards related to free speech and academic freedom at University of Wisconsin System institutions and technical colleges. For violation of these standards, the Board of Regents of the UW System or technical college district board may be subject to a civil cause of action and must provide certain public notice of the violation. The bill also establishes certain due process standards in disciplinary proceedings at UW System institutions and technical colleges.
free speech and academic freedom
First Amendment protections
Under the bill, a UW institution or technical college may not do any of the following: 1) restrict speech protected under the First Amendment, if the speaker’s conduct is not unlawful and does not materially and substantially disrupt the functioning of the UW institution or technical college; 2) maintain and enforce time, place, and manner restrictions on expressive activities on the publicly accessible, open outdoor areas of its campus and indoor areas and virtual spaces that have been designated as public forums, except classrooms while they are in use for instructional purposes, unless those restrictions meet specified requirements; 3) designate any area of a campus a “free speech zone” or otherwise create policies restricting noncommercial expressive activities to a particular area of a campus; 4) subject to an exception, require a permit as a condition of being allowed to engage in expressive activities protected under the bill; 5) charge security fees, as part of a permit application, based on the content of expression or anticipated reaction; or 6) sanction individuals or groups for discriminatory harassment unless the speech targets its victim on the basis of a protected class under law, and is so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it effectively bars a student from receiving equal access to educational opportunities or benefits. Under the bill, if a permit is required, the permitting process and any security fee must be content and viewpoint neutral. The bill defines a “virtual space” as an electronic forum that enables participants not in each other’s physical presence to communicate with each other in real time and that is controlled or supervised by, or used for an authorized purpose or activity of, a UW institution or technical college, not including a virtual classroom.
The bill also specifies that all of an institution’s or technical college’s indoor areas and virtual spaces that have been designated as public forums and publicly accessible outdoor areas, except classrooms while they are in use for instructional purposes, are governed by rules applicable to traditional public forums. The bill specifies that its provisions do not 1) enable individuals to engage in conduct that intentionally, materially, and substantially disrupts another’s expressive activity in a campus space reserved for that activity; or 2) limit the right of student expression at campus locations not specified in the bill.
The bill requires an institution or technical college to do all of the following: 1) conduct a survey biennially of students and employees on First Amendment rights, academic freedom, perceived political or other bias at the institution or technical college, and whether campus culture promotes self-censorship; 2) submit a report biennially to the legislature detailing the results of this survey; and 3) annually provide all students and employees with instruction in academic freedom, due process, and First Amendment protections.
Academic freedom
Under the bill, a UW or technical college policy or employee may not limit the expressive rights and academic freedom of an instructor to 1) conduct research, publish, lecture, or teach in the academic setting; 2) require students to participate in instructional exercises with legitimate pedagogical purposes that involve exploring, or arguing for or against, any argument or assertion; or 3) speak publicly as a private citizen on matters of public concern.
Principles
The bill sets forth principles of academic freedom and freedom of expression to which the UW System and each institution must adhere, as well as UW System and institution responsibilities associated with these principles.
Notice and cause of action
The bill requires a UW institution or technical college that is found by a state or federal court, by a preponderance of the evidence, to have violated any of the free speech or academic freedom provisions described above to include, for four years, the following disclaimer on all notices to individuals regarding admission to the UW institution or technical college: “NOTICE: We are required by the State of Wisconsin to inform you that within the last four years ... [insert name of UW institution or technical college] has violated the free speech or academic freedom provisions in the Wisconsin statutes.”
Under the bill, the attorney general, a district attorney, or any person whose expressive rights were violated may bring a court action against the Board of Regents of the UW System or the technical college district board for violation by a UW institution or technical college of any of the free speech or academic freedom provisions described above and may seek an injunction and recovery of damages, court costs, and attorney fees for persons aggrieved by the violation. In such an action, if the court finds a violation, the court must award to the plaintiffs all of the following: 1) total damages for all prevailing persons aggrieved by the violation of not less than $500 for the initial violation plus $50 for each day after the complaint is served that the violation remains ongoing, but not exceeding an aggregate amount of $100,000 for all cases stemming from a single controversy; and 2) court costs and reasonable attorney fees. An award to the plaintiffs of damages, court costs, or attorney fees must be paid from the UW institution’s or technical college’s administrative expense moneys.
due process in disciplinary proceedings
Due process guarantees
Under the bill, a student enrolled in a UW institution or technical college has a property interest in maintaining the student’s status as a student that may be terminated against the student’s will only for due cause, including failure to meet academic standards or attendance requirements, failure to pay tuition or other fees, or violating conduct rules. A student accused of a disciplinary or conduct violation that carries a potential penalty of expulsion or suspension of more than nine days, and a UW institution’s or technical college’s employee accused of a disciplinary or conduct violation, have the right to be represented, at the person’s own expense, by a licensed attorney or non-attorney advocate who is permitted to fully participate during the disciplinary proceeding. The same right applies to a student organization, employee organization, or independent organization recognized by the UW institution or technical college (organization) accused of a violation and to a complaining student if the disciplinary proceeding arises from the student’s complaint. Prior to initiating a disciplinary proceeding or investigation, a UW institution or technical college must notify the student, employee, or organization that a complaint has been made and inform the student, employee, or organization of the student’s, employee’s, or organization’s due process rights. A UW institution or technical college must ensure that all parties to a disciplinary proceeding, including if applicable an accusing student, have access to all material evidence, including both inculpatory and exculpatory evidence, not later than one week prior to the start of any formal hearing or similar adjudicatory proceeding. Before a disciplinary proceeding is scheduled, and at least two business days before a student, employee, or organization may be questioned about allegations of violations of the institution’s or technical college’s disciplinary or conduct rules, the institution or technical college must advise the student, employee, or organization in writing of these rights. A UW institution or technical college is not obligated to follow the state’s rules of evidence in a disciplinary proceeding, but must make a good faith effort to include only relevant, probative evidence and must exclude evidence that is neither relevant nor probative. A UW institution or technical college must ensure that a disciplinary proceeding is carried out free from conflicts of interest by prohibiting overlap of administrative or adjudicative roles.
Under this bill, if a UW institution or technical college violates any of these due process provisions more than once in a five-year period, it must freeze tuition for all students for the following two academic years. For a UW institution, the Board of Regents of the UW System must also ensure that the institution’s allocation of funding is reduced commensurate with the tuition freeze.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
AB501,1
1
Section
1
.
36.41 of the statutes is created to read:
AB501,2,3
2
36.41

Campus free speech and academic freedom.

(1)

Definitions.
In
3
this section:
AB501,3,2
4
(a) “Employee” means a member of the faculty, academic staff, or university
1
staff assigned to an institution. “Employee” also includes the institution’s graduate
2
assistants and employees in training.
AB501,3,4
3
(b) 1. “Virtual space” means a forum utilizing electronic technology that
4
satisfies all of the following:
AB501,3,8
5
a. It enables participants who are not in each other’s physical presence to
6
communicate with each other simultaneously by sight and sound to conduct a
7
meeting or gathering, have a discussion, hold an event, or otherwise convey
8
information and ideas with each other in real time.
AB501,3,10
9
b. It is under the control or supervision of the institution or is being used for
10
an institution-authorized purpose or activity.
AB501,3,12
11
2. “Virtual space” does not include a virtual classroom while it is in use for
12
instructional purposes.
AB501,3,16
13
(2)

Principles of academic freedom and freedom of expression.
(a) The
14
system and each institution shall adhere to the following principles of academic
15
freedom and freedom of expression in order to achieve the system’s mission under s.
16
36.01 (2):
AB501,4,3
17
1. Academic freedom includes the freedom to explore all avenues of
18
scholarship, research, and creative expression, and to reach conclusions according
19
to one’s own scholarly discernment. Freedom of expression includes the right to
20
discuss and present scholarly opinions and conclusions on all matters both in and
21
outside the classroom. These freedoms include the right to speak and write as a
22
member of an institution’s community or as a private citizen without institutional
23
discipline or restraint on scholarly matters or on matters of public concern. The
1
system and each institution shall remain committed to these principles and provide
2
all members of an institution’s community the broadest possible latitude to explore
3
ideas and to speak, write, listen, challenge, and learn.
AB501,4,10
4
2. Although different ideas in an institution’s community often and quite
5
naturally conflict, it is not the proper role of an institution to attempt to shield
6
individuals from ideas and opinions the institution or others find unwelcome,
7
disagreeable, or even deeply offensive. Despite the great value of civility, concerns
8
about civility and mutual respect may never be used as justification for closing off
9
discussion of ideas, however offensive or disagreeable those ideas may be to some
10
members within an institution’s community.
AB501,4,23
11
3. The freedom to debate and discuss the merits of competing ideas does not
12
mean that members of an institution’s community may say whatever they wish,
13
wherever they wish. Consistent with long-standing practice informed by law, the
14
system and each institution may restrict expression that violates the law, that
15
falsely defames a specific individual, that constitutes a genuine threat or
16
discriminatory harassment, that unjustifiably invades substantial privacy or
17
confidentiality interests, or that is otherwise directly incompatible with the
18
functioning of an institution. In addition, subject to sub. (3) (a) 2., the system and
19
each institution may reasonably regulate the time, place, and manner of expression
20
to ensure that it does not disrupt ordinary activities. However, these exceptions to
21
the general principle of freedom of expression shall be construed narrowly and may
22
not be applied in a manner that is inconsistent with the system’s and each
23
institution’s commitment to a completely free and open discussion of ideas.
AB501,5,1
1
(b) The principles stated in par. (a) carry responsibilities, as follows:
AB501,5,8
2
1. Academic freedom carries the responsibility for the faithful performance of
3
professional duties and obligations. All members of an institution’s community
4
share in the responsibility for maintaining civility and a climate of mutual respect.
5
Although members of an institution’s community are free to criticize and contest
6
the views expressed on campus, they may not obstruct or otherwise interfere with
7
the freedom of others, including speakers who are invited to campus, to express
8
views they reject or even loathe.
AB501,5,11
9
2. Freedom of expression carries the obligation to make clear that when
10
speaking on matters of public interest or concern, one is speaking on behalf of
11
oneself, not the institution.
AB501,5,23
12
3. An institution has a solemn responsibility not only to promote lively and
13
fearless exploration, deliberation, and debate of ideas, but also to protect those
14
freedoms when others attempt to restrict them. Exploration, deliberation, and
15
debate may not be suppressed because the ideas put forth are thought by some or
16
even by most members of an institution’s community, or those outside the
17
community, to be offensive, unwise, immoral, or wrongheaded. It is for the
18
members of an institution’s community, not for the institution itself, to make those
19
judgments for themselves, and to act on those judgments not by seeking to suppress
20
exploration of ideas or expression of speech, but by openly and vigorously contesting
21
the ideas that they oppose. Fostering the ability of members of an institution’s
22
community to engage in such debate and deliberation in an effective and
23
responsible manner is an essential part of an institution’s educational mission.
AB501,6,2
1
(3)

First Amendment protections.
(a) Except as specified in this section,
2
an institution may not do any of the following:
AB501,6,10
3
1. Restrict speech protected under the First Amendment of the U.S.
4
Constitution, including noncommercial expressive activities protected under the
5
provisions of this section, which include all forms of peaceful assembly, protests,
6
speeches, distribution of literature, carrying signs, circulating petitions, and the
7
recording and lawful publication, including Internet publication, of video and audio
8
lawfully recorded in public outdoor areas of the institution or public virtual spaces,
9
if the speaker’s conduct is not unlawful and does not materially and substantially
10
disrupt the functioning of the institution.
AB501,6,15
11
2. Maintain and enforce time, place, and manner restrictions on expressive
12
activities on the open outdoor areas of its campus that are generally accessible to
13
the public and indoor areas and virtual spaces that have been designated as public
14
forums, except classrooms while they are in use for instructional purposes, unless
15
those restrictions meet all of the following requirements:
AB501,6,18
16
a. The restrictions are reasonable, in furtherance of a significant institutional
17
interest, and employ clear, published, content-neutral, and viewpoint-neutral
18
criteria.
AB501,6,21
19
b. The restrictions provide for ample alternative means for communication of
20
the information and allow for members of the institution’s community to
21
spontaneously and contemporaneously distribute literature and assemble.
AB501,7,2
22
3. Designate any area of a campus a “free speech zone” or otherwise create
1
policies restricting noncommercial expressive activities to a particular area of a
2
campus.
AB501,7,8
3
4. Require a permit from any individual or group as a condition of being
4
allowed to engage in expressive activities protected under this section, unless the
5
individual or group is seeking exclusive control of a location for its expressive
6
activity at a reserved time. Any such permitting process may not be overly
7
burdensome, and applications for permits shall be evaluated solely using published
8
content and viewpoint-neutral criteria.
AB501,7,19
9
5. Charge security fees to a student or a student group, as part of an
10
application for those expressive activities that require a permit, based on the
11
content of the expression, the content of the expression of an invited guest, or the
12
anticipated reaction to the student’s, student group’s, or invited guest’s expression.
13
Whether the security fee is required and its amount may be determined only on the
14
basis of content and viewpoint-neutral criteria. Content and viewpoint-neutral
15
criteria include the time of the event, the location of the event, the anticipated size
16
of the invited audience, and whether alcohol will be served. Any institution
17
charging security fees pursuant to this subdivision shall publish the criteria it uses
18
for assessing those charges and shall have a published process for waving the fees
19
for those who cannot afford to pay them.
AB501,8,3
20
6. Sanction individuals or groups for discriminatory harassment unless the
21
speech targets its victim on the basis of the victim’s membership in a class
22
protected under federal, state, or local law, and is so severe, pervasive, and
23
objectively offensive that it effectively bars a student from receiving equal access to
1
educational opportunities or benefits. This subdivision does not preclude an
2
institution from providing additional resources to a student affected by speech that
3
cannot be sanctioned under this subdivision or from taking nonpunitive actions.
AB501,8,8
4
(b) All indoor areas and virtual spaces that have been designated as public
5
forums and outdoor public areas generally accessible to the public and operated by
6
an institution or under the institution’s jurisdiction, except classrooms while they
7
are in use for instructional purposes, shall be governed by rules applicable to
8
traditional public forums.
AB501,8,12
9
(c) 1. Nothing in this section enables individuals to engage in conduct that
10
intentionally, materially, and substantially disrupts another’s expressive activity if
11
that activity is occurring in a campus space, including a virtual space, reserved for
12
that activity under the exclusive use or control of a particular group.
AB501,8,17
13
2. For purposes of subd. 1., and subject to subd. 3., “materially and
14
substantially disrupts” means when a person, with the intent or knowledge of doing
15
so, significantly hinders another person’s or group’s expressive activity, prevents
16
the communication of the message, or prevents the transaction of the business of a
17
lawful meeting, gathering, or procession by doing any of the following:

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