Texas has banned talking on college campuses at night | Opinion
www.houstonchronicle.com
Gov. Greg Abbott has signed into law a bill will ban speech at night — from study groups to newspaper reporting — at the state's public universities.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/30989415

Texas lawmakers trying to muzzle campus protests have just passed one of the most ridiculous anti-speech laws in the country. If signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, Senate Bill 2972 would ban speech at night — from study groups to newspaper reporting — at public universities in the state.

Ironically, the bill builds on a previous law passed in 2019 meant to enshrine free speech on Texas campuses. But now, lawmakers want to crack down on college students’ pro-Palestinian protests so badly that they literally passed a prohibition on talking.

  • Frezik@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    12·
    20 hours ago

    This made me curious about what the Texas state constitution had for an equivalent to the 2nd amendment. Some states have their own, and strictly speaking, the federal second amendment wasn’t officially imposed on the states until 2010. (Yes, that does mean that states without their own constitutional restriction could have regulated guns as much as they wanted within their boarders.)

    Texas does have one, and its an interesting case.

    Sec. 23. RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS. Every citizen shall have the right to keep and bear arms in the lawful defence [sic] of himself or the State; but the Legislature shall have power, by law, to regulate the wearing of arms, with a view to prevent crime. (Feb. 15, 1876.)

    Which is interesting because it has an explicit out for regulating carrying of firearms that the federal constitution does not. Doesn’t really matter now that the 2nd amendment is incorporated to the states, but the fact is that Texas would have expressly allowed certain regulations on firearms.