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Bartlesville's Senator Julie Daniels is preparing for her trip to the White House Thursday. She is traveling to the Washington DC to hear President Donald Trump speak about protecting First Amendment rights on college campuses.

Daniels received the invitation because of her work on Senate Bill 361 which aims at protecting freedom of expression on Oklahoma campuses. She said she is excited because it is not very often someone gets the opportunity to go to the White House.

Daniels also said it is important to her to be at the White House during a timely event. She said freedom of speech ought to be important to all Americans and all Oklahomans in that "we do not diminish and dilute our First Amendment rights by failing to nurture them and protect them."

President Trump will sign an executive order Thursday, March 21 at 3 o'clock at the White House Rose Garden that ties the receipt of federal research funding to universities' actions to ensure freedom of expression on campus. Daniels said this is important to the two major universities in Oklahoma.

As for Senate Bill 361 that Sen. Daniels authored, it has passed the Senate by a vote of 36 to 9. It will next be presented by Claremore Representative Mark Lepak in a House Committee.

Senate Bill 361 would require Oklahoma’s public universities, colleges and the career technology institutions to take action to protect students’ rights to free speech on campus. 

Oklahoma is among several states taking legislative action to protect First Amendment rights on campus.  Arkansas passed a similar bill earlier this year.  Another has been adopted in Kentucky.  Campus free speech legislation is being introduced in Texas and South Carolina.  Arizona and Tennessee already have such statutes.

Daniels said she authored SB 361 so that Oklahoma college students may engage in the free exchange of a wide spectrum of ideas – which is absolutely critical to the academic and intellectual integrity of a college education.  She said this legislation will also protect university administrators against those who seek to silence any expression they deem offensive.

SB 361 clarifies that colleges and universities cannot prohibit free speech in public areas, and that those public areas of campus will be available for scheduled, organized or spontaneous free expression by members of the campus community.  Administrators may set reasonable time, place and manner restrictions on free speech activities. The bill clarifies what it means to disrupt freedom of expression and that speech not protected by the First Amendment will not be protected on campus. University administrations will be required to orient students, faculty, staff and campus law enforcement on its free speech policies.