WV governor signs bill to protect critical constitutional freedoms on campuses
The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Matt Sharp, director of the ADF Center for Public Policy, regarding West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice’s signing Friday of SB 503, a bill to protect the First Amendment rights of student organizations at public universities:
“Universities should encourage freedom of speech and religion, not shut it down. That includes safeguarding the ability of belief-based student organizations to associate with those who align with the organization’s mission and purpose. We wouldn’t require a Democrat club to select a registered Republican as its president or an environmental club to admit members who support drilling in the Arctic. In the same way, religious clubs must remain free to require their leaders and members to adhere to their religious beliefs and values. This critical legislation specifically ensures that student groups at public universities can freely choose their leaders and members, and further their mission, absent of discrimination. We commend the West Virginia Legislature and Gov. Justice for standing with students and joining the 17 other states that have passed similar legislation. Now and always, universities have an obligation to safeguard freedom of speech and religion for their students.”
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.
# # #
Related Resources
ABOUT Matt Sharp
Matt Sharp serves as senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, where he is the director of the Center for Public Policy. In this role, he leads ADF's team of policy experts as they craft legislation and advise government officials on policies that promote free speech, religious freedom, parental rights, and the sanctity of human life. Since joining ADF in 2010, Sharp has authored federal and state legislation, regularly provides testimony and legal analysis on how proposed legislation will impact constitutional freedoms, and advises governors, legislators, and state and national policy organizations on the importance of laws and policies that protect First Amendment rights. He has twice testified before the U.S. Congress on the importance of protecting free speech and religious liberty in federal law. Sharp also authored an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of nearly 9,000 students, parents, and community members asking the court to uphold students’ right to privacy against government intrusion. Sharp earned his J.D. in 2006 from the Vanderbilt University School of Law. A member of the bar in Georgia and Tennessee, he is also admitted to practice in several federal courts.