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Students press Senate committee for a legislative review of university free‑speech and civil‑rights complaints
Summary
House Bill 284 would create a temporary interim committee to investigate alleged censorship and civil‑rights violations at Montana universities; numerous students and alumni testified in support, recounting grievances about grading and classroom discourse.
Representative Caleb Hinkle told the committee HB 284 would convene a temporary interim committee — meeting no more than three times — to investigate civil‑rights and censorship complaints within the Montana University System and report findings. The sponsor said the measure responds to students who reported repeated encounters with what they described as biased grading, restriction of speech and institutional retaliation.
A string of student proponents described personal experiences they said illustrated a problem: one testified that an opinion paper received an F because the instructor "did not agree" with the author's viewpoint; others said they feared speaking up in class or that administrative processes are opaque and inaccessible. Supporters argued a legislative inquiry would give students a formal path to raise concerns and help the legislature assess whether existing complaint mechanisms are functioning.
Proponents included several student organizers and conservative and libertarian campus groups; Patrick Webb of the Montana Family Foundation and others framed the bill as strengthening accountability through legislative oversight. Committee members asked practical questions about the committee's scope and the appropriation to support its work.
