HB1592: HB1592 Student Journalist Press Freedom Restoration Act; enact

Currently, student journalists in Georgia schools can face censorship of their work, and teachers who support them can face professional consequences. This bill, called the Student Journalist Press Freedom Restoration Act, would change that by giving student journalists at schools with grades six through 12 that receive state funding, and at public colleges and universities, the right to determine the news, opinion, feature, and advertising content of school or institution sponsored media. The bill protects student media advisers from being fired, suspended, disciplined, reassigned, or transferred for supporting student journalists' protected speech. It carves out exceptions for content that is libelous, obscene, invades privacy, breaks the law, or would cause a real disruption based on specific facts rather than vague fear. Schools and institutions must adopt written policies covering distribution and appeals, and students or advisers can sue for injunctive relief and attorney's fees. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it.

• Grants student journalists at qualifying K-12 schools and public colleges the right to decide the content of school or institution sponsored media without it being deemed official school policy.
• Bars discipline against student journalists for exercising this right and shields schools from civil or criminal liability for what students publish.
• Protects student media advisers from being fired, suspended, or transferred for defending students' protected speech or refusing to censor it.
• Sets exceptions allowing restriction of speech that is libelous, obscene, invades privacy, breaks the law, or creates a real risk of disruption based on specific facts.
• Requires local school boards and public colleges to adopt written policies covering time, place, and manner of distribution and a process to appeal decisions.
• Allows students or advisers to sue for injunctive or declaratory relief and lets courts award attorney's fees to a prevailing plaintiff.

Student journalists and their advisers at public and private schools serving grades six through 12 that receive state funding, and at Georgia's public colleges and universities. Local school boards, school administrators, and university officials would also be affected because they must adopt new written policies and cannot retaliate against advisers.

Student journalists would gain more control over what they publish in school newspapers, broadcasts, and other school-sponsored outlets, while teachers who support them would have new job protections. Schools would need new written policies, and disputes over censorship could end up in court with legal fees at stake.

• Section 1 states the General Assembly's findings that student journalists face censorship other students do not and that advisers who defend them risk professional harm.
• Section 3 adds new Code Section 20-2-2140 covering K-12 schools with grades six through 12 that receive state funding, defining student journalists, advisers, and school sponsored media.
• Section 3 gives student journalists the right to determine content and bars discipline, while protecting advisers from being dismissed, suspended, or transferred for supporting protected speech.
• Section 3 lists exceptions where speech is not protected, including libel, obscenity, privacy invasion, illegality, or material disruption 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 and attorney's fees.
• Section 4 adds new Code Section 20-3-48.05 applying nearly identical rights and protections to 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 without approval.
• 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
• teacher protections