Committee adopts amendments and advances bill protecting higher‑education faculty from retaliation

Representative Owen (speaker 3) presented HB 1,008 to protect faculty at public postsecondary institutions from retaliation for disclosing alleged violations or exercising academic freedom in teaching, research and publication. Two amendment sets—one clarifying the definition of academic freedom and another adjusting remedies and ordering of procedures—were adopted after consultation with the Board of Regents and academic stakeholders.

Professor Jeffrey Sadow (speaker 32) and Tyler Coward (speaker 33) of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression testified in favor, emphasizing that protections are rooted in First Amendment law and are not a blank check for misconduct. The amendments preserve professional‑standards remedies for unprotected or threatening conduct while ensuring faculty may pursue remedies when they face retaliation for protected speech. The committee reported the bill as amended.