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SB 5608

Adopting free speech policy statements at public institutions of higher education.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Bob Hasegawa and 2 co-sponsors

Public colleges and universities in Washington would be required to adopt formal free speech policies, modeled on the Chicago principles, developed with faculty and students.

By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
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Bill Summary · SB 5608

Summary: SB 5608 — Adopting Free Speech Policy Statements at Public Institutions of Higher Education (Washington, 69th Legislature)

Overview

SB 5608 would require public higher education institutions in Washington to adopt a formal free speech policy statement modeled after the Chicago principles/statement on free expression. The policy would be adopted by each institution’s governing board in collaboration with faculty and students and added as a new section to RCW 28B.10.

Purpose and Intent

  • The bill emphasizes the protection and promotion of freedom of expression as essential to a free society.
  • It reflects a philosophy that “the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence” (citing Justice Brandeis) and that false speech should be answered with true speech (citing Justice Kennedy).
  • The Legislature views higher education institutions as a key setting for cultivating robust discussion of ideas.

Key Provisions

  • New RCW addition: A new section to chapter 28B.10 requires each public higher education institution to adopt a free speech policy statement.
  • Scope: Applies to the boards of regents/trustees of state universities, regional universities, The Evergreen State College, and the boards of trustees of each community and technical college district.
  • Collaboration: Policy development must be done in collaboration with faculty and students.
  • Minimum commitments (must appear in the policy):
    1. Promote and protect free and open inquiry.
    2. Promote and protect a completely free and open discussion of ideas that maintains a climate of mutual respect.
    3. Promote and protect the principle of debate or deliberation without judgment by the institution.
    4. Act in conformity with the principle of free expression and not obstruct or interfere with the freedom of others to express views they reject.
  • Standard: The statement should be comparable to the Chicago principles or Chicago statement on free expression.

Affected Entities

  • Public higher education institutions in Washington:
    • State universities
    • Regional universities
    • The Evergreen State College
    • Community and technical college districts
  • Primary actors in implementing the policy: boards of regents/trustees, faculty, and students.

Implementation and Timeline

  • Status: First reading; referred to the Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development.
  • Introduced: January 31, 2025.
  • Implementation timeline not specified in the text provided (no explicit deadline or effective date stated).

Background and Context

  • Draws on established free speech frameworks (Chicago principles/Chicago statement).
  • Grounded in classic Free Speech jurisprudence (references to Brandeis and Kennedy) as the legislative justification for campus-free expression policies.

Potential Impacts and Considerations

  • Uniformity: Could standardize free speech policies across all public colleges and universities in Washington.
  • Governance: Requires ongoing collaboration with faculty and students in policy development.
  • Policy Interaction: May interact with existing campus policies on harassment, disruptive conduct, and safety; questions may arise about enforcement, exceptions, and means of accountability.
  • Ambiguities: No specified deadline for adoption or enforcement mechanisms in the excerpt; stakeholders may seek clarity on compliance metrics and review processes.

If you’d like, I can tailor this into a one-page briefing for stakeholders or compare it to the Chicago principles in more detail.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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