The University of Wisconsin Associated Students of Madison met Wednesday to vote on bill “Hate Speech isn’t Free” bill and other new legislation. But, the council was five members short of a quorum needed for voting. The vote is now rescheduled for March 13.
The legislation, titled “Hate Speech isn’t Free” addresses UW’s response to a video that surfaced last spring featuring a UW student using racial slurs, among other events, and says UW “did not go far enough to condemn the racist use of free speech.”
“There have been many public and private instances of racism, xenophobia, antisemitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of bias that have been directed at UW students by other UW students throughout the Fall 2023 semester and have caused many students significant harm,” according to the bill text.
The bill was initially introduced Dec. 6, 2023, according to the ASM legislative index. It was deliberated and amended in a subsequent meetings and then postponed because the main sponsor was ill, according to the Jan. 24 meeting minutes. In a meeting Feb. 7, the bill was debated by members of ASM and then the legislation was postponed so members could work on creating a more complete proposal, according to previous reporting from The Badger Herald.
Also to be voted on at the next meeting, is a bill demonstrating the ASM’s support for Wisconsin workers aiming to repeal Act 10 — the 2011 bill signed into law by former Governor Scott Walker, that limited collective bargaining rights for public sector employees, according to the Associated Press. ASM is expected to swear in two new student representatives, Abby Clark, representing the UW College of Engineering and Brandon Wee, representing the UW College of Letters & Science at their next meeting.
Spring 2024 lections for the 33 member student legislative body start March 11 and run through March 13, according to the ASM website. Students may vote for representatives based on the college in which they are enrolled.
The Student Council’s next meeting will take place next March 13 at
6 p.m. on Zoom.
