JEFFERSON CITY — A bill that would give student journalists greater protection against censorship was heard by a House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee on Wednesday.

House Bill 2918 establishes the “Cronkite New Voices Act,” which transfers broad editorial authority in student media from school administrators to student journalists. It is sponsored by Rep. Scott Miller, R-St. Charles.

Currently, Missouri follows the minimum constitutional guidelines on student speech. Those minimum guidelines are interpreted through the Supreme Court precedent, Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier (1988), which permits school administrators to censor student journalism and halt the publication of material they take issue with.

Under the bill, students in Missouri would have final authority over the news and opinion content appearing in their school publication. It does not bar school administrators from censoring journalistic content entirely, though such interventions would be constrained to limited carveouts such as libel, slander, invasion of privacy or threats of violence, among others.

These carveouts grant student journalists rights similar to those that govern press freedom in professional journalism.

The bill reflects a nationwide trend to protect student voices following the Hazelwood decision. The bill is an initiative of the Student Press Law Center, an organization that provides free legal services to student journalists. Eighteen states have already enacted similar legislation to Miller’s bill, according to the SPLC.

These laws have been considered constitutionally permissible because the Supreme Court decision only sets a floor for student speech and does not restrict states from individually strengthening First Amendment rights.

Cathy Kuhlmeier testified in support of the bill. She is a Warrenton resident who served as a plaintiff in the landmark case that bears her name and governs student press freedom. Kuhlmeier has since become a vocal supporter of student press freedom, advocating for similar “New Voices” legislation across the country.

Kuhlmeier said she and her fellow student journalists were punished for reporting on supposed sensitive subjects like teen pregnancy, divorce and runaways. What was never in question, she said, was the quality of student journalism.

“We didn’t promote the issues or give (students) how-tos,” Kuhlmeier said. “We gave them helpful resources to turn to in the event they found themselves in these same situations, and asked them to think about their choices before they acted on impulse.”

Student journalists from Clayton High School in suburban St. Louis also testified in support of the bill. Though the Clayton School District does not censor its student paper, The Globe, students said that the absence of a legal backing to that policy has kept them from pursuing stories that might conflict with the administration.

“When students self-censor out of fear, the community loses access to accurate and balanced reporting,” said Charles Balestra, a Clayton senior who serves as the business and operations editor-in-chief of The Globe. “If we cannot cover both the positives and negatives of a story, then we cannot claim to run an honorable and accurate paper.”

In addition to safeguarding student press freedom, the bill further defines the role of student media advisors. The bill clarifies that advisors are responsible for teaching and encouraging journalism standards in student publications but are not to have a final editorial say.

Advisors are also legally shielded from retaliation for refusing to censor students under the bill.

Clayton’s publications advisor Debra Klevens said that inclusion was pertinent, since advisors risk being fired for siding with students as the law currently stands.

“We shouldn’t have to choose between our jobs and the First Amendment,” Klevens said.

Concerns similar to Klevens’ have played out in educational institutions around the country in the decades since the Hazelwood decision. Notably, Indiana University fired its student media advisor in 2025 for refusing to comply with administrative censorship.

Upon completion of its public hearing, the bill awaits a vote from the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.