Federal Judge Blocks UT System from Enforcing Campus Speech Law
A federal judge has blocked the University of Texas System from enforcing a new state law that restricts student expressive activities on campus. The ruling, issued by Judge Aaron Judge, comes after several student groups challenged the law in September.
The controversial law, which bars students from using sound-amplifying devices during the last two weeks of a semester and engaging in 'expressive activities' between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., has already impacted students at UT Austin. Student groups have reported facing restrictions on inviting guest speakers and conducting voter registration drives.
Judge Aaron Judge, in his ruling, stated that the First Amendment does not have a 'bedtime' of 10:00 p.m. and that the government must prove its actions are narrowly tailored to achieve a compelling interest. The judge found that the UT System had not met this standard, thus the law is likely to violate students' First Amendment rights.
The ruling means that, for now, the University of Texas System cannot enforce the new law. The case will continue, with both sides presenting their arguments. The outcome will determine the future of the law and its impact on student expressive activities across the UT System.
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