HB 1592: Student Journalist Press Freedom Restoration Act; enact

Currently, school officials in Georgia have broad power to review and restrict what student newspapers, broadcasts, and other school sponsored media publish. This bill, called the Student Journalist Press Freedom Restoration Act, would change that by giving student journalists in grades six through 12 and at public colleges and universities the right to decide the news, opinion, feature, and advertising content of their school or institution sponsored media, without prior review, except for content that is libelous, invades privacy, is obscene, breaks the law, or would cause a real disruption to the school. The bill also protects student media advisers, the teachers or staff who supervise this media, from being fired, disciplined, or transferred for refusing to censor student work or for defending a student's rights under the bill. Schools and colleges would have to adopt written policies covering how and when student media can be distributed, and students or advisers could sue for a court order (injunctive relief) if their rights are violated, with the possibility of recovering attorney's fees. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it.

• Gives student journalists in grades six through 12 and at public colleges the right to decide the content of school sponsored media without administrator censorship in most cases.
• Protects student media advisers from being fired, disciplined, reassigned, or retaliated against for defending student journalists' rights or refusing to censor them.
• Lists specific exceptions where schools can still restrict student media, including libel, invasion of privacy, obscenity, illegal content, or material likely to cause a substantial disruption.
• Requires local school boards and public colleges to adopt written policies covering the timing and manner of distributing student media and how to appeal decisions.
• Allows students or advisers to sue in court for an injunction or declaratory relief if their rights under the bill are violated, and lets courts award attorney's fees to the winning plaintiff.
• States the law takes effect immediately once signed by the Governor.

Student journalists and student media advisers at Georgia public and private schools with grades six through 12 that receive state funding, as well as students and advisers at public colleges and universities. Local school boards, school administrators, and public higher education institutions would also be affected because they must adopt new written policies.

If enacted, school administrators would lose much of their current authority to review and block student newspaper or broadcast content before publication, and teachers who back their students' reporting would gain job protection. Georgians would see student media operate with more editorial independence, subject to narrower legal exceptions than before.

• Section 1 states legislative findings that student journalists currently face censorship that other students do not, and that advisers who support them risk their jobs.
• Section 3 adds new Code Section 20-2-2140 to Title 20, defining 'school sponsored media,' 'student journalist,' and 'student media adviser' for grades six through 12 and giving student journalists content control.
• Section 3 lists exceptions in subsection (d) where speech is not protected: libel, invasion of privacy, obscenity, illegal content, or material causing substantial disruption, and requires disruption forecasts to be based on specific facts, not vague fear.
• Section 3 requires local school boards to adopt written policies on distribution and appeals, and allows lawsuits for injunctive relief with possible attorney's fees for prevailing plaintiffs.
• Section 4 adds parallel protections and requirements as new Code Section 20-3-48.05 for student journalists and advisers at public institutions of higher education.
• Section 5 sets the effective date as the date the Governor signs the bill or it otherwise becomes law.
• Section 6 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-25House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-03-23House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-03-20House Hopper (House)

• Josh Bonner (R, HD-073)Primary sponsor
• Karen Mathiak (R, HD-082)
• Scott Hilton (R, HD-048)
• Bryce Berry (D, HD-056)
• Phil Olaleye (D, HD-059)

• student journalism
• press freedom
• school policy
• higher education
• free speech