# Illinois SB1865: CAMPUS FREE SPEECH ACT

Illinois SB1865, CAMPUS FREE SPEECH ACT, is a 104th General Assembly (2025–2026) Senate bill sponsored by Chris Balkema (Republican); status in committee, last action 2025-03-20 (Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Terri Bryant) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-SB1865-2025-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Illinois SB1865
- State: Illinois
- Session: 104th General Assembly (2025–2026)
- Title: CAMPUS FREE SPEECH ACT
- Status: in committee
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-02-06
- Last action: 2025-03-20, Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Terri Bryant
- Sponsor: Chris Balkema (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 4
- Subjects: assignments
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Creates the Campus Free Speech Act. Requires the governing board of each public university and community college to develop and adopt a policy on free expression; sets forth what the policy must contain. Requires the Board of Higher Education to create a Committee on Free Expression to issue an annual report. Requires public institutions of higher education to include in their freshman orientation programs a section describing to all students the policies and rules regarding free expression that are consistent with the Act. Contains provisions concerning rules, construction of the Act, and enforcement.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Chris Balkema (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Andrew S. Chesney (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Jil Tracy (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Neil Anderson (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Terri Bryant (Republican), Senate

## Actions (7)

- 2025-03-20: Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Terri Bryant (Senate)
- 2025-03-10: Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Andrew S. Chesney (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Jil Tracy (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Neil Anderson (Senate)
- 2025-02-06: Referred to Assignments (Senate)
- 2025-02-06: First Reading (Senate)
- 2025-02-06: Filed with Secretary by Sen. Chris Balkema (Senate)

## Bill text

- Introduced: [PDF](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/SB/PDF/10400SB1865.pdf)

## Related bills

- HB5198: AFFORDABLE HOUSING-CILAS (passed house)
- SB1937: PENSION CODE-VARIOUS (passed senate)
- HB2563: CONDO-RESERVE STUDY (in committee)
- HB4701: LIMITATIONS FACILITY FEES ACT (in committee)
- SB3008: DHS-ABLE PROGRAM INFO MATERIAL (passed senate)
- SB3484: VEH CD-PLATES-REGISTRATION (signed)

## Sources
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/SB/PDF/10400SB1865.pdf)

## Related
- [HB5198: AFFORDABLE HOUSING-CILAS](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-HB5198-2025-2026)
- [SB1937: PENSION CODE-VARIOUS](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-SB1937-2025-2026)
- [HB2563: CONDO-RESERVE STUDY](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-HB2563-2025-2026)
- [HB4701: LIMITATIONS FACILITY FEES ACT](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-HB4701-2025-2026)
- [SB3008: DHS-ABLE PROGRAM INFO MATERIAL](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-SB3008-2025-2026)
- [SB3484: VEH CD-PLATES-REGISTRATION](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-SB3484-2025-2026)
- [Illinois bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/illinois/bills)
- [Illinois state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/illinois)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-SB1865-2025-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).