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Senator Cash introduces 'Free to Speak Act' to restrict pronoun requirements in public schools and colleges
Summary
Senator Cash, the senator from Anderson, introduced the "Free to Speak Act," saying it would prevent public-school and public-higher-education employees and students from being disciplined for refusing to identify or use pronouns inconsistent with a person s described in the bill.
Senator Cash, the senator from Anderson, formally introduced the "Free to Speak Act" on the Senate floor and described the bill as protecting public-school and public-higher-education employees from being required to provide or use pronouns they do not wish to use.
"This bill is titled the Free to Speak Act. It might also could be titled the Free to Not Speak Act," Senator Cash said during introductory remarks. He said the measure "protects employees in K–12 and in higher education from having to identify for whatever purpose their pronouns. And if they refuse to identify what their pronouns are, then they can't be subject to adverse employment action." He added the bill would also protect "public school students from the same kind of punishment or disciplinary action for refusing to provide or identify their pronouns or to address a student, employee, or volunteer by a pronoun or title that is inconsistent with the person's biological ***."
The bill text, read by the clerk, would "prohibit public school employees from knowingly and intentionally addressing an unemancipated minor who is a student of the school where the employee is employed by the pronoun or title that is inconsistent with a student's *** without the written permission of a student's parent or guardian," according to the clerk's reading. Senator Cash said he expects the measure to move to the Senate Education Committee and noted about 10 cosponsors at the time of introduction.
The reading clerk recorded the bill as referred to the Education Committee. No committee debate, amendment, or vote on the bill was recorded in this session.
The bill introduction and Senator Cash's remarks occurred during the introduction of bills and resolutions portion of the Senate calendar and were placed on file for referral to committee.
Votes At A Glance: This article covers only the bill introduction and referral; no formal vote on the measure was taken during the session reported here.
