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Montana lawmaker seeks short interim committee to probe alleged civil-rights and free-speech violations at state universities
Summary
Representative Caleb Hinkle introduced HB284 to create a temporary, up-to-three‑meeting committee to collect and investigate student complaints of censorship, retaliation and other civil-rights claims across the Montana University System; students told the House Judiciary Committee they distrust existing complaint channels and offered records for review.
Representative Caleb Hinkle introduced House Bill 284 to the House Judiciary Committee, proposing a temporary interim committee that "shall meet no more than 3 times" to investigate alleged civil-rights and censorship violations within the Montana University System and compile official reports of incidents.
Supporters led by student activists told the committee the bill is needed because existing remedies are slow, informal or mistrusted. "Several of my fellow students have confided in me how they feel the need to self censor," said Dashiell Johnson, vice president of the Montana State University chapter of Young Americans for Liberty, urging lawmakers to vote yes on HB284.…
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