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Arizona Legislature Passes Bill Protecting Religious Expression and Religious Groups At Colleges

By Howard M. Friedman

The East Valley Tribune reported yesterday that the Arizona Senate has passed HB 2565 that will bar colleges and universities from discriminating against students because of their religious beliefs or religious expression and will permit religious and political student groups to exclude members who do not share their beliefs. The bill was passed by the House earlier this month.

The bill provides that when a classroom assignment or discussion requests students' viewpoints, a student may not be rewarded or punished based on the religious content of that viewpoint. It provides that a university may not discipline a student in a counseling, social work or psychology program because the student refuses to counsel a client about goals that conflict with the student's sincerely held religious belief so long as the student consults with the instructor to determine the proper course of action to avoid harm to the client. The bill goes on to provide that universities may not refuse to recognize student groups because of the religious, political or philosophical content of the group's speech, including worship.  It provides that political and religious student groups may select leaders and members, resolve disputes and order the group's internal affairs according to their political or religious mission. Finally the bill assures that students have the right to speak, carry sign and distribute flyers in public forums unless the university has a compelling interest to regulate the speech.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on March 25, 2011 (boomark / email).