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Georgia committee hears opposition to HB 602, which would strip state aid for certain campus disruptions
Summary
Lawmakers and more than a dozen faculty, clergy and students debated House Bill 602 in the House Higher Education Committee, focusing on whether the bill's broad definitions risk chilling protected protest and disproportionately penalizing low-income and minority students.
The House Higher Education Committee on Thursday heard testimony on HB 602, a proposal from Representative Mark Fleming that would deny state scholarships and grants for two years to students convicted of, or found by their institution to have committed, specified violent or materially disruptive conduct on campus.
Supporters said the measure targets violent, harassing and vandalizing behavior that prevents other students from learning; opponents said the bill's language is overly broad, risks chilling constitutionally protected speech and would disproportionately harm low-income and minority students.
Representative Mark Fleming, the bill's author, told the committee the bill “upholds the rights of students, faculty, and administrators on our college campuses to be free from the infringement of their rights to study and work” and said the measure is not intended to punish peaceful protest but to “target individuals who use violence, vandalism, force, and harassment.” He added the Student Finance Commission, the University System of Georgia (USG) and the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) would be required to create sanction and appeal processes.
Representative Esther Panitch, a co-presenter, described reports…
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