Part ofhigher education →

HR3505FEDERALin_committee

Free Speech On Campus Act (H.R. 3505)

Original title: Free Speech On Campus Act

May 20, 2025

higher education first amendment free speech student rights federal funding

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

Where This Stands

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Signed

Currently in_committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Last action

Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.May 18, 2023

Lead sponsor

Kevin Kiley

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

The Frame

What this does

Public colleges and universities would be required to implement specific free speech orientation programs and website disclosures as a condition of maintaining eligibility for federal student financial aid programs.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Public colleges and universities

These institutions must update orientation materials, create new educational programming, and modify their websites to maintain federal funding eligibility.

New and transfer students at public colleges

These students will be required to receive specific information and educational programming regarding First Amendment rights during their orientation.

What changed

Current stage: in_committee.

What's next

Floor Vote.

Summary

This bill proposes a new requirement for public colleges and universities to receive federal student aid funding. Institutions would be required to provide new students with written information and educational programming regarding their First Amendment rights and the school's commitment to free expression.

Why It Matters

Key Facts

Public institutions of higher education must provide a written statement on First Amendment rights to all new and transfer students during orientation.
Institutions must provide educational programming, including online resources, regarding free expression policies and First Amendment principles.
The required written statement must affirm the institution's commitment to free expression and guarantee that students and their invited speakers will not have their rights violated.
Educational programming must include lessons on how to express a wide range of views in a productive and respectful manner.
Public institutions must post the required written statement on their publicly accessible websites.
Compliance with these requirements is established as a condition for participating in federal Title IV student aid programs.
The bill amends Section 487(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this bill apply to private colleges?

No, the bill specifically applies to public institutions of higher education.

What happens if a school does not comply?

The bill makes these requirements a condition of participating in federal student aid programs, implying that non-compliance could jeopardize access to those funds.

What must be included in the orientation programming?

Schools must provide descriptions of policies protecting free expression, prohibit exclusionary behavior, and include lessons on the First Amendment and respectful expression of diverse views.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Conditioning Aid on Speech Policy

The bill utilizes the federal government's power over student aid funding to mandate specific internal university orientation content.

Higher Education Act of 1965

Connected Entities

personKevin Kiley“U.S. Representative who introduced the bill.”Map →

organizationCommittee on Education and the Workforce“The House committee to which the bill was referred.”Map →

personBurgess Owens“U.S. Representative who co-sponsored the bill.”Map →

otherHigher Education Act of 1965“The existing federal law that this bill seeks to amend.”Map →

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance60
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy65
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz25
Current news / social attention level

Publisher tools