District judge issues temporary injunction, prevents UT system from enforcing campus free speech law
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A district judge issued a temporary injunction Tuesday preventing the University of Texas System from enforcing a state law prohibiting speech on campus during certain times.
This comes after a lawsuit was filed by students with UT at Austin and Dallas in September shortly after the law went into effect, saying that it infringes students' constitutional rights.
The lawsuit was brought by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expressions (FIRE).
The Campus Protection Act, or Senate Bill 2972, went into effect in September. The law relates to "expressive activities" between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. that includes any speech that is protected by the First Amendment, including assemblies, protests, and speeches. It also includes limits on end-of-term speakers and amplified sound.
Lawmakers behind the bill referenced disruptions caused by the 2024 pro Palestine demonstrations on campuses nationwide, including the UT Austin campus.
“Today’s ruling is a victory not only for our plaintiffs, but all of those who express themselves on college campuses across Texas,” said FIRE senior supervising attorney JT Morris in a Tuesday news release. “The First Amendment protects their freedom of speech on campus, every hour of the day, every week of the year.”
Plaintiffs noted in the injunction the First Amendment protects free speech on campus at all times.
The temporary injunction can be viewed in full below: