Louisiana governor signs executive order about college, university free speech issues

BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — Gov. Jeff Landry signed an executive order about free speech for higher education institutions Tuesday morning on the campus of Louisiana State University.

Landry was joined by local leaders and students outside of the LSU Memorial Tower on campus.

The governor said the executive order tasks the Board of Regents to ensure there is a policy to protect freedom of speech at Louisiana campuses.

“What this executive order does is again serve as an official request to the Board of Regents that they are going to review and provide advice and recommendations on how to improve the freedom of expression and the policies on post-secondary education institutions just like LSU,” Landry said.

LSU released the following statement Tuesday afternoon.

“At LSU, we welcome and respect all voices across the entire political spectrum. As a public university, we are dedicated to open dialogue on politics and important issues. We believe that thoughtful conversations help our community grow and empower individuals to be informed and engaged citizens.”

Louisiana State University

A new law was passed in Louisiana during the 2024 regular session about free speech on college and university campuses. According to Act 584 , which went into effect on June 11, any criminal activity prohibited by Louisiana law is excluded from free speech protections.

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