{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/23.1-401.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/23.1-401.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/23.1-401.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/23.1-401.1.html"}],"law_id":69336,"edition_id":1,"section_id":69336,"structure_id":13517,"section_number":"23.1-401.1","catch_line":"Constitutionally protected speech; policies, materials, and reports; report","history":"2018, c. 751.","full_text":"A\n\nExcept as otherwise permitted by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, no public institution of higher education shall abridge the constitutional freedom of any individual, including enrolled students, faculty and other employees, and invited guests, to speak on campus.B\n\nEach public institution of higher education shall establish and include in its student handbook, on its website, and in its student orientation programs policies regarding speech that is constitutionally protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and the process to report incidents of disruption of such constitutionally protected speech.C\n\nEach public institution of higher education shall develop materials on the policies established pursuant to subsection B and notify any employee who is responsible for the discipline or education of enrolled students of such materials.D\n\nEach public institution of higher education shall develop, post on its website in a searchable, publicly accessible, and conspicuous manner, and submit to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health no later than December 1 of each year a report on the institution’s compliance with the provisions of this section that includes:1\n\nA copy of the institution’s policies as described in subsection B and materials on such policies as described in subsection C;2\n\nCertification that the institution has complied with subsection C; and3\n\nA copy of any complaint filed in a court of law since December 1 of the preceding year to initiate a lawsuit against the institution or an employee of the institution in his official capacity for an alleged violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.E\n\nEach public institution of higher education shall submit to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health a copy of any complaint filed in a court of law to initiate a lawsuit against the institution or an employee of the institution in his official capacity for an alleged violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution no later than 30 days after such complaint is served.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":250798,"text":"Except as otherwise permitted by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, no public institution of higher education shall abridge the constitutional freedom of any individual, including enrolled students, faculty and other employees, and invited guests, to speak on campus.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":250799,"text":"Each public institution of higher education shall establish and include in its student handbook, on its website, and in its student orientation programs policies regarding speech that is constitutionally protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and the process to report incidents of disruption of such constitutionally protected speech.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":250800,"text":"Each public institution of higher education shall develop materials on the policies established pursuant to subsection B and notify any employee who is responsible for the discipline or education of enrolled students of such materials.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":250801,"text":"Each public institution of higher education shall develop, post on its website in a searchable, publicly accessible, and conspicuous manner, and submit to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health no later than December 1 of each year a report on the institution’s compliance with the provisions of this section that includes:","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"D1"},"4":{"id":250802,"text":"A copy of the institution’s policies as described in subsection B and materials on such policies as described in subsection C;","type":"section","prefixes":["D","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"D1","prefix_anchor":"D1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"D","next_prefix":"D2"},"5":{"id":250803,"text":"Certification that the institution has complied with subsection C; and","type":"section","prefixes":["D","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"D2","prefix_anchor":"D2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"D1","next_prefix":"D3"},"6":{"id":250804,"text":"A copy of any complaint filed in a court of law since December 1 of the preceding year to initiate a lawsuit against the institution or an employee of the institution in his official capacity for an alleged violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.","type":"section","prefixes":["D","3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"D3","prefix_anchor":"D3","level":2,"prior_prefix":"D2","next_prefix":"E"},"7":{"id":250805,"text":"Each public institution of higher education shall submit to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health a copy of any complaint filed in a court of law to initiate a lawsuit against the institution or an employee of the institution in his official capacity for an alleged violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution no later than 30 days after such complaint is served.","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D3"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13517,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"4","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13112,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:07","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:07","permalink":{"id":184849,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13517,"identifier":"4","token":"23.1\/II\/4","url":"\/23.1\/II\/4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13112,"edition_id":1,"name":"Students and Campus","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13111,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:18","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:18","permalink":{"id":184847,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13112,"identifier":"II","token":"23.1\/II","url":"\/23.1\/II\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13111,"edition_id":1,"name":"Institutions of Higher Education; 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This law was first created in 2018. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 751<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":184859,"object_type":"law","relational_id":69336,"identifier":"23.1-401.1","token":"23.1\/II\/4\/23.1-401.1","url":"\/23.1-401.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/23.1-401.1\/","token":"23.1\/II\/4\/23.1-401.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Constitutionally protected speech; policies, materials, and reports; report","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 23.1-401.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Except as otherwise permitted by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, no public institution of higher education<\/span> shall abridge the constitutional freedom of any individual, including enrolled students, faculty and other employees, and invited guests, to speak on campus. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Each public institution of higher education<\/span> shall establish and include in its student handbook, on its website, and in its student orientation programs policies regarding speech that is constitutionally protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and the process to report incidents of disruption of such constitutionally protected speech. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> Each public institution of higher education<\/span> shall develop materials<\/span> on the policies established pursuant to subsection B and notify any employee who is responsible for the discipline or education of enrolled students of such materials<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> Each public institution of higher education<\/span> shall develop, post on its website in a searchable, publicly accessible, and conspicuous manner, and submit to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health no later than December 1 of each year a report on the institution’s compliance with the provisions of this section that includes: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> A copy of the institution’s policies as described in subsection B and materials<\/span> on such policies as described in subsection C; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> Certification that the institution has complied with subsection C; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> A copy of any complaint filed in a court<\/span> of law<\/span> since December 1 of the preceding year to initiate a lawsuit<\/span> against the institution or an employee of the institution in his official capacity for an alleged violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> Each public institution of higher education<\/span> shall submit to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health a copy of any complaint filed in a court<\/span> of law<\/span> to initiate a lawsuit<\/span> against the institution or an employee of the institution in his official capacity for an alleged violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution no later than 30 days after such complaint is served. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED SPEECH; POLICIES, MATERIALS, AND REPORTS; REPORT (\u00a7\n23.1-401.1)\n\nA. Except as otherwise permitted by the First Amendment to the United States\nConstitution, no public institution of higher education shall abridge the\nconstitutional freedom of any individual, including enrolled students, faculty\nand other employees, and invited guests, to speak on campus.\n\nB. Each public institution of higher education shall establish and include in\nits student handbook, on its website, and in its student orientation programs\npolicies regarding speech that is constitutionally protected under the First\nAmendment to the United States Constitution and the process to report incidents\nof disruption of such constitutionally protected speech.\n\nC. Each public institution of higher education shall develop materials on the\npolicies established pursuant to subsection B and notify any employee who is\nresponsible for the discipline or education of enrolled students of such\nmaterials.\n\nD. Each public institution of higher education shall develop, post on its\nwebsite in a searchable, publicly accessible, and conspicuous manner, and submit\nto the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Education and the\nSenate Committee on Education and Health no later than December 1 of each year a\nreport on the institution’s compliance with the provisions of this section\nthat includes:\n\n 1. A copy of the institution’s policies as described in subsection B and\n materials on such policies as described in subsection C;\n\n 2. Certification that the institution has complied with subsection C; and\n\n 3. A copy of any complaint filed in a court of law since December 1 of the\n preceding year to initiate a lawsuit against the institution or an employee of\n the institution in his official capacity for an alleged violation of the First\n Amendment to the United States Constitution.\n\nE. Each public institution of higher education shall submit to the Governor and\nthe Chairmen of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on\nEducation and Health a copy of any complaint filed in a court of law to initiate\na lawsuit against the institution or an employee of the institution in his\nofficial capacity for an alleged violation of the First Amendment to the United\nStates Constitution no later than 30 days after such complaint is served.\n\nHISTORY: 2018, c. 751.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}