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Bills from the 2017–18 session

Senate Bill 351

Free speech at the University of Wisconsin and technical college systems and granting rule-making authority

Stopped in committee

It never got a ⁠, so it never came up for a vote. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Jul 13, 2017

  2. Committee, stopped here

    Stopped here. No public hearing was held.

  3. Senate vote, not reached

  4. Assembly vote, not reached

  5. Governor, not reached

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, Mar 28, 2018: “Failed to pass pursuant to ⁠”

It never got a hearing in the Senate Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges. See every bill that never got a hearing this session.

Read the bill

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What it would have done

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

This bill creates statutory requirements and prohibitions regarding free speech at the University of Wisconsin and technical college systems. The bill declares that it is not the role of a UW institution or technical college to shield individuals from speech that is protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The bill imposes requirements throughout both systems, including the following: 1) students, faculty, and staff have the right to assemble and engage in expressive activity; 2) the campuses are open to any speaker who is invited by students, faculty, or staff; 3) the public areas of campuses are traditional public forums; 4) administrators must remain neutral on public policy controversies; 5) administrators in their official capacity may not require students, faculty, or staff to express specified viewpoints as a condition of employment or a course requirement;

and 6) any person lawfully present on campus is allowed to protest or demonstrate.

Read the full summary

The bill also requires administrators to make all reasonable efforts and make available all reasonable resources to ensure the safety of individuals invited to speak on campuses. If administrators determine that they cannot ensure an individual's safety, the bill requires that the individual must be allowed to speak in spite of that determination. The bill prohibits any protest or demonstration that infringes on the rights of others to engage in or listen to expressive activity and requires administrators to sanction individuals who violate that prohibition. The bill also prohibits a person from making a true threat, as defined in the bill, against a speaker.

The bill requires the UW Board of Regents and Technical College System Board to promulgate rules establishing a disciplinary process for students, faculty, and staff who violate the bill or engage in conduct that inhibits free speech. The rules must include disciplinary sanctions specified in the bill. Finally, the bill provides that it shall not be construed to prohibit the Board of Regents, a UW institution, the TCS Board, or a technical college district from regulating speech or activities that are prohibited by law or that substantially disrupt the functioning of a UW institution or technical college.

Who's behind it

6 senators are its ⁠. All 6 are Republicans.

4 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 10 names

Authors (6)

Signed on in support (4)

What happened

  1. Mar 28, 2018

    The session ended, and the bill died with it.

  2. Jul 13, 2017

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges.

  3. Jul 13, 2017

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Jul 13, 2017 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Vukmir, Lasee, Nass, Craig, Stroebel and Kapenga; cosponsored by Representatives Jarchow, Tittl, Kleefisch and Tusler

  2. Jul 13, 2017 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges

  3. Mar 28, 2018 · Senate

    Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

Terms on this page

Committee

A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.

More in the glossary

Public hearing

A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.

More in the glossary

Senate Joint Resolution 1

The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.

Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary

From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source

Committee

A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.

More in the glossary

Public hearing

A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.

More in the glossary

Senate Joint Resolution 1

The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.

Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1

More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis

More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor

More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor

More in the glossary