House Status:
Senate Status:
Senate Status:
Minutes for SB340 - Committee on Federal and State Affairs
Short Title
Campus free speech protection act.
Minutes Content for Thu, Feb 15, 2018
Mike Heim, Revisor of Statutes gave an overview on SB340 establishing the campus free speech protection act.
Discussion ensued with Senators: Bud Estes, Oletha Faust-Goudeau, Ty Masterson, Lynn Rogers and Mike Heim.
Senator Ty Masterson, would like to speak as a proponent. He apologized to them for not being prepared with written testimony as he had lost track of where this bill was in the process.
Proponents
Senator Ty Masterson, attended a conference on this matter. In the current climate there is shouting down or removal of opposition that is happening. In these environments of education it is imperative to understand both the evil and the good. Senator Masterson quoted from a gentleman in his eighties at the conference who read from a German plaque, "Where you burn books today you burn people tomorrow." He noted that we are becoming a divided people today, and that we cannot suppress speech just because we find it offensive. Senator Masterson asks who is going to decide what is offensive. He further commented that if we get in an arms race to shut down speech we all lose, we must learn from both sides. He believes that none of us are purveyors of all knowledge and we all have something to gain by listening to someone who is completely offensive. We gain the knowledge that they are wrong and that we do not want to go that direction. He commented that he was on a campus with a free speech zone that he and another gentleman could not fit into the space. At another campus outside of this state, it was a swamp in the middle of campus where nobody could even go. We need to codify this so we don't go down the dangerous path of no free speech.
Questions were asked and comments were made by Senators: Oletha Faust-Goudeau, Caryn Tyson, Lynn Rogers and Ty Masterson.
Victoria Snitsar, undergraduate at the University of Kansas, Communications Director for the Kansas Federation of College Republicans, offered testimony in support of SB340. (Attachment 1)
Discussion ensued by Senators: Oletha Faust-Goudeau, Caryn Tyson, and Ty Masterson.
Written Proponent
Susan Humphries, Kansas Representative, (Attachment 2)
Opponents
Megan Jones, undergraduate of University of Kansas, not to speaking on campus, concern of intent, security fees, unfunded mandate, if we don't listen to the facts this the problem. Education is an informed opinion. (Attachment 3)
Discussion ensued by Senators: Olathe Faust-Goudeau, Bud Estes, and Ty Masterson.
Written Opponent
Mark Desetti, KNEA of Kansas (Attachment 4)
The hearing on SB340 was closed.
