Bill Text: MS HB1307 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced

Mississippi House Bill 1307 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: College religious student groups; prohibit universities and community colleges from discriminating against.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2013-02-05 - Died In Committee [HB1307 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2013-HB1307-Introduced.html

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2013 Regular Session

To: Judiciary B

By: Representative Lamar

House Bill 1307

AN ACT TO prohibit THE STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING AND THE COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR colleges from denying recognition, privileges or benefits to a student organization on the basis of religious content of the organization's speech or the manner in which the organization determines its organizational affairs; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) A state higher education institution that grants recognition to any student organization or group may not discriminate against or deny recognition of, equal access or a fair opportunity to any student organization or group on the basis of the religious content of the organization's or group's speech, including, but not limited to, worship.

(2) A religious student organization may determine that the following activities are in furtherance of the organization's religious mission and that only persons committed to that mission should conduct such activities:

(a) Ordering the organization's internal affairs;

(b) Selecting the organization's leaders and members;

(d) Resolving the organization's disputes.

(3) A state higher education institution may not deny recognition of or any privilege or benefit to a student organization or group that exercises its rights under subsection (2) of this section.

(4) As used in this section, the term "state higher education institution" includes each state institution of higher learning named in Section 37-101-1 and each public community or junior college in Mississippi.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2013.