SB0221sam001 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Sen. Pat McGuire

Filed: 4/17/2015

09900SB0221sam001 LRB099 03167 SXM 34346 a

AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 221

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 221 by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

"Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Political Events on College Campuses Act.

Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:

"Facility" includes all buildings and grounds owned or controlled by the public university or community college and the streets, sidewalks, malls, parking lots, and roadways within the boundaries of property owned or controlled by the public university or community college.

"Use of facilities" means the holding of any event or forum, the posting of signs, all forms of advertising, commercial solicitation or the conduct of other commercial activities, and the distribution of pamphlets or similar written materials on or using public university or community college facilities.

Section 10. Facility priority. First priority for the use of campus facilities shall be given to regularly scheduled public university or community college activities. The use of public university or community college facilities may be subject to reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions that take into account, among other considerations, the general facilities policy, the direct and indirect costs to the public university or community college, environmental, health and safety concerns, wear and tear on the facilities, appropriateness of the event to the specific facility, and the impact of the event on the campus community, surrounding neighborhoods, and the general public. In reviewing conflicting requests to use public university or community college facilities, primary consideration shall be given to activities specifically related to the public university or community college's mission.

Section 15. Political activities. Public university and community college facilities may be used for political activities when that use complies with Section 5-15 of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Examples of political activities may include:

(1) public university and community college departments, student government organizations, or registered student organizations sponsoring candidate forums, voter registration drives, and issue forums regarding ballot propositions;

(2) candidates for office and proponents or opponents of ballot propositions renting public university or community college facilities on a short-term basis for campaign purposes to the same extent and on the same basis as may other individuals or groups;

(3) candidates for office and proponents or opponents of ballot propositions using public forum areas, to the same extent and on the same basis as may other individuals or groups; and

(4) a registered student organization inviting a candidate or another political speaker to one of the meetings of its membership on public university or community college property, if the student organization has complied with the scheduling procedures of the public university or community college.

Section 20. Restrictions.

(a) When an event under this Act involves the rental of a public university or community college facility, the full rental cost of the facility must be paid and State funds may not be used to pay rental costs or cover any other costs associated with the event.

(b) Public university or community college facilities may not be used to establish or maintain offices or headquarters for political candidates or partisan political causes.

(c) All candidates who have filed for office for a given position, regardless of party affiliation, must be given equal access to the use of facilities within a reasonable time, if the candidates are in compliance with the provisions of this Act.

(d) No person shall solicit contributions on public university or community college property for political uses, except in instances where this limitation conflicts with applicable federal law regarding interference with the mails.

(e) Use of public university facilities for political activities, as described in this Act, must have prior approval of the university ethics and compliance office and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost or a similar office.

(f) Use of community college facilities for political activities, as described in this Act, must have prior approval of the campus human resources office or a designee set forth by the community college.".