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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>69336</law_id><section_number>23.1-401.1</section_number><catch_line>Constitutionally protected speech; policies, materials, and reports; report</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="23.1">Institutions of Higher Education; Other Educational and Cultural Institutions</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="II">Students and Campus</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="4">General Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Except as otherwise permitted by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, no <span class="dictionary">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. <a id="paragraph-250798" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-401.1/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Each <span class="dictionary">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. <a id="paragraph-250799" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-401.1/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Each <span class="dictionary">public institution of higher education</span> shall develop <span class="dictionary">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 <span class="dictionary">materials</span>. <a id="paragraph-250800" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-401.1/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Each <span class="dictionary">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&#x2019;s compliance with the provisions of this section that includes: <a id="paragraph-250801" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-401.1/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> A copy of the institution&#x2019;s policies as described in subsection B and <span class="dictionary">materials</span> on such policies as described in subsection C; <a id="paragraph-250802" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-401.1/#D1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Certification that the institution has complied with subsection C; and <a id="paragraph-250803" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-401.1/#D2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> A copy of any complaint filed in a <span class="dictionary">court</span> of <span class="dictionary">law</span> since December 1 of the preceding year to initiate a <span class="dictionary">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. <a id="paragraph-250804" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-401.1/#D3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> Each <span class="dictionary">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 <span class="dictionary">court</span> of <span class="dictionary">law</span> to initiate a <span class="dictionary">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. <a id="paragraph-250805" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-401.1/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2018, c. 751.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
