PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Congressional Research Service
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People & committees
Rep. Houchin, Erin [R-IN-9] · R–IN
Legislative record
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Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Jul 21, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-03-11 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
The proposed Students Bill of Rights Act of 2025 would require covered public colleges receiving Higher Education Act funding to follow rules protecting student organizations and campus expression. It would regulate organization recognition, student-fee funding, event security charges, and protection of invited speakers. People harmed by violations could sue, and institutions that miss required reporting steps after a qualifying court judgment would lose funding eligibility, subject to restoration.
This Act may be cited as the Students Bill of Rights Act of 2025.
A covered public institution that receives funds under this Act, including through participation in a program authorized under title IV, shall comply with the following requirements:
(1) Recognized student organizations
(2) Distribution of funds to student organizations
(3) Assessment of security fees for events
(4) Protections for invited guests and speakers
Whoever is harmed by a covered public institution by the maintenance of a policy or practice of the institution that is in violation of a requirement described in subsection (a) may bring a civil action in a Federal court for appropriate relief.
In the case of a covered public institution that does not notify the Secretary as required under paragraph (2)(A) or submit the report required under paragraph (2)(B), the Secretary shall revoke the eligibility of such institution to receive funds under this Act
A covered public institution that loses eligibility under paragraph (3) to receive funds under this Act may seek to restore such eligibility by submitting to the Secretary the report described in paragraph (2)(B).
Section 2 would add a new section 112A to the Higher Education Act. Its requirements would apply to public institutions meeting that Act's section 101 definition of an institution of higher education and receiving funding under the Act, including through title IV programs.
The Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 112 the following new section: 112A. Students Bill of Rights to further protect speech and association
A covered public institution that receives funds under this Act, including through participation in a program authorized under title IV, shall comply with the following requirements:
The term covered public institution means an institution of higher education, as defined in section 101, that is a public institution.
A recognized student organization would mean a group that meets institutional requirements for privileges such as access to campus spaces, resources, and funding. At institutions that recognize student organizations, an otherwise qualified group could not be denied recognition solely because it cannot obtain a faculty advisor or sponsor.
The term recognized student organization means a student organization that has been determined by a covered public institution to meet institutional requirements to qualify for certain privileges granted by the institution, such as use of institutional venues, resources, and funding.
A covered public institution that has recognized student organizations shall comply with the following requirements:
A covered public institution may not deny recognition to a student organization solely because the organization is unable to obtain a faculty advisor or sponsor, provided that the organization meets each of the other institutional requirements for such recognition.
An institution could omit a faculty or staff sponsorship requirement. If it retained one, it would have to offer an alternative when an otherwise qualified group cannot find a sponsor. The alternatives could include waiving the requirement or assigning a faculty or staff member.
The institution shall ensure that any policy or practice related to the recognition of a student organization— (i) does not require a faculty or staff member of the institution to serve as faculty advisor or to otherwise participate in, support, or sponsor the organization; or (ii) if the institution does have a requirement that a faculty or staff member serve as described in clause (i) as a condition for recognition of the student organization, and an organization that meets each of the other institutional requirements for such recognition is unable to secure such a faculty or staff member, provides for an alternative to such requirement, which may include waiver of such requirement or the institution assigning a faculty or staff member to such organization.
An institution could not deny recognition solely because a student group is affiliated with, or is a chapter of, another organization. Groups denied recognition would have a right to appeal within the institution to a body that had not participated in earlier proceedings concerning that denial.
A covered public institution may not deny recognition to a student organization solely because of the organization’s affiliation with, or status as a chapter of, a national or other organization.
A covered public institution shall provide an appeals process by which a student organization that has been denied recognition by the institution may appeal to an institutional appellate entity for reconsideration. The institution shall ensure that such appellate entity did not participate in any prior proceeding related to the denial of recognition to such organization.
If an institution collects mandatory student activity fees and distributes some of that money to recognized student groups, it would have to publish clear, objective, complete standards for both the total available funding and each group's allocation. It would have to follow those standards, which must be neutral about content and viewpoints.
A covered public institution that collects a mandatory fee from students for the costs of student activities and events and provides funds generated from such student fees to one or more recognized student organizations of the institution shall— (A) establish and make publicly available clear, objective, content- and viewpoint-neutral, and exhaustive standards to be used by the institution to determine— (i) the total amount of funds made available for allocations to the recognized student organizations; and (ii) the allocations of such total amount to individual recognized student organizations; (B) ensure that allocations are made to the recognized student organizations in accordance with the standards established pursuant to subparagraph (A);
For policies and decisions applied to student organizations, the bill defines content and viewpoint neutrality to mean not considering the organization's purposes or the viewpoints it holds or expresses.
The term content- and viewpoint-neutral, when used with respect to a policy, practice, determination, fee assessment, or allocation applied to a student organization, means a policy, practice, determination, fee assessment, or allocation that does not take into consideration any purpose of, or viewpoints held or expressed by, such organization.
A recognized group denied all or part of a student-fee allocation could request timely written reasons and information about appealing. Institutions would have to provide an appeal to a body that had not participated in earlier proceedings concerning that allocation.
(C) upon the request of a recognized student organization that has been denied all or a portion of an allocation described in subparagraph (B), provide to the organization, in writing (which may include electronic communication) and in a timely manner, the specific reasons for such denial and information of the appeals process described in subparagraph (D); (D) provide an appeals process by which a recognized student organization that has been denied all or a portion of an allocation described in subparagraph (B) may appeal to an institutional appellate entity for reconsideration, and the institution shall ensure that such appellate entity did not participate in any prior proceeding related to such allocation;
Institutions would need procedures to disqualify people or entities from student-fee funding decisions or appeals if they have failed to apply the institution's required allocation standards.
(E) have in place policies and procedures to disqualify an individual or entity from participating in a determination described in subparagraph (A) or (B), or an appeal described in subparagraph (D), if such individual or entity has failed to apply the standards for determinations established by the institution pursuant to this paragraph.
Institutions would have to publish clear, objective, complete, content- and viewpoint-neutral standards for security charges for student-organized events. The bill defines these charges as fees for additional security needed because of an event or activity on campus.
A covered public institution shall establish and make publicly available clear, objective, content- and viewpoint-neutral, and exhaustive standards to be used by the institution to— (A) determine the amount of any security fee for an event or activity organized by a student or student organization;
The term security fee means a fee charged to a student or student organization for an event or activity organized by the student or student organization on the campus of the institution that is intended to cover the costs incurred by the institution for additional security measures needed to ensure the security of the institution, students, faculty, staff, or surrounding community as a result of such event or activity.
Security charges could not depend, even partly, on the student's or group's expression or viewpoints, the event's purpose or expression, or an invited guest's expression or viewpoints. They also could not depend on an anticipated student or public reaction caused by the event's purpose, expression, or viewpoints.
(B) ensure that a determination of such an amount may not be based, in whole or in part, on— (i) the content of expression or viewpoint of the student or student organization; (ii) the purpose or content of expression of the event or activity organized by the student or student organization; (iii) the content of expression or viewpoint of an invited guest of the student or student organization; or (iv) an anticipated reaction by students or the public to the event or activity due to the purpose, content of expression, or viewpoint expressed at the event or activity by the student, student organization, or an invited guest.
Institutions would have to publish clear, objective, complete, content- and viewpoint-neutral standards for the safety and protection of speakers and guests invited by students or student organizations.
A covered public institution shall establish and make publicly available clear, objective, content- and viewpoint-neutral, and exhaustive standards to be used by the institution related to the safety and protection of speakers and guests who are invited to the institution by a student or student organization.
Anyone harmed by an institution's policy or practice that violates these requirements could sue in federal court. Available remedies would include temporary or permanent court orders, compensation for harm, and reasonable court costs and attorney fees for a plaintiff who wins.
Whoever is harmed by a covered public institution by the maintenance of a policy or practice of the institution that is in violation of a requirement described in subsection (a) may bring a civil action in a Federal court for appropriate relief.
For the purposes of this paragraph, appropriate relief includes— (i) a temporary or permanent injunction; and (ii) awarding a prevailing plaintiff— (I) compensatory damages; (II) reasonable court costs; and (III) reasonable attorney fees.
A lawsuit would have to begin within two years after the legal claim arises.
A civil action under this paragraph may not be commenced later than 2 years after the cause of action accrues.
The reporting and funding enforcement provisions would follow a qualifying final court judgment finding a violation. The bill calls this a “non-default, final judgment” and defines it as a final judgment the institution chooses not to appeal or that cannot be appealed further.
In the case of a court’s non-default, final judgment in a civil action brought under paragraph (1) that a covered public institution is in violation of a requirement described in subsection (a), such covered public institution shall—
The term non-default, final judgment means a final judgment by a court for a civil action brought under paragraph (1) that a covered public institution is in violation of a requirement described in subsection (a) that the covered public institution chooses not to appeal or that is not subject to further appeal.
Within seven days of the qualifying judgment, the institution would have to notify the Secretary and provide a copy. Within 30 days, it would have to submit a report certifying that the violating standard, policy, practice, or procedure is no longer used, with evidence supporting that certification.
(A) not later than 7 days after the date on which the court makes such a non-default, final judgment, notify the Secretary of such judgment and submit to the Secretary a copy of the non-default, final judgment; and (B) not later than 30 days after the date on which the court makes such a non-default, final judgment, submit to the Secretary a report that— (i) certifies that the standard, policy, practice, or procedure that is in violation of the requirement described in subsection (a) is no longer in use; and (ii) provides evidence to support such certification.
If the institution fails to provide the required notice or report, the Secretary would have to revoke its eligibility for Higher Education Act funding, including title IV participation. Revocation would apply to each funding award year after the award year in which the qualifying judgment was made, subject to the restoration process.
In the case of a covered public institution that does not notify the Secretary as required under paragraph (2)(A) or submit the report required under paragraph (2)(B), the Secretary shall revoke the eligibility of such institution to receive funds under this Act, including through participation in a program authorized under title IV, for each award year following the conclusion of the award year in which a court made a non-default, final judgment in a civil action brought under paragraph (1) that the institution is in violation of a requirement described in subsection (a).
A covered public institution that loses eligibility under paragraph (3) to receive funds under this Act may seek to restore such eligibility by submitting to the Secretary the report described in paragraph (2)(B).
An institution could seek restored funding eligibility by submitting the compliance report. The Secretary would have 90 days to decide whether the evidence shows that the institution is no longer violating the requirements. A favorable decision would require restoration for award years after the award year of that decision.
A covered public institution that loses eligibility under paragraph (3) to receive funds under this Act may seek to restore such eligibility by submitting to the Secretary the report described in paragraph (2)(B).
Not later than 90 days after a covered public institution submits a report under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall review such report and make a determination with respect to whether such report contained sufficient evidence to demonstrate that such institution is no longer in violation of a requirement described in subsection (a).
If the Secretary makes a determination under subparagraph (B) that the covered public institution is no longer in violation of a requirement described in subsection (a), the Secretary shall restore the eligibility of such institution to receive funds under this Act, including through participation in a program authorized under title IV, for each award year following the conclusion of the award year in which such determination is made.
The new section would preserve institutions' protections under title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The supplied text does not describe those underlying protections.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to infringe upon or otherwise impact the protections of an institution of higher education under title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e et seq.) and title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.).
The Secretary would have to report to the specified House and Senate committees within one year after enactment and annually thereafter. Reports would compile violation notices, institutional compliance reports, and actions revoking or restoring funding eligibility for the reporting year.
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of the Students Bill of Rights Act of 2025 and on an annual basis thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions a report that includes— (1) a compilation of— (A) the notifications of violation received by the Secretary under subsection (b)(2)(A) in the year for which such report is being submitted; and (B) the reports submitted to the Secretary under subsection (b)(2)(B) for such year; and (2) any action taken by the Secretary to revoke or restore eligibility under paragraphs (3) and (4) of subsection (b) for such year.
Section 3 would add a promise to comply with new section 112A to the Higher Education Act's program participation agreement provisions for covered public institutions.
3. Program Participation Agreement Section 487(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1094(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following: (30) In the case of an institution that is a covered public institution under section 112A, the institution will comply with the requirements of such section.
The official-actions snapshot updated July 21, 2025, records introduction in the House and referral to the House Committee on Education and Workforce on March 11, 2025.
Source snapshot updated 2025-07-21T19:44:15Z. 2025-03-11: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce. 2025-03-11: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-03-11. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy change attached to appropriations was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish the contents or attachment history of other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for particular recipients or places was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version; earmark requests, disclosures, and committee or conference materials were not supplied.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
None identified in the reviewed text
No materially narrow preferential benefit was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. Its access protections and generally available remedies do not by themselves constitute preferential treatment. This conclusion is limited to this version, not other versions or accompanying materials.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Jul 21, 2025. How PlainBill uses AI