The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments in a free speech case challenging Texas Senate Bill 2972, which requires UT System campuses to restrict expressive activities from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. and during the last two weeks of each semester. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression sued on behalf of student organizations including Fellowship of Christian Students at UT Dallas, challenging the law as unconstitutional. The lower court had halted enforcement of the restrictions.
Where
Statewide
When
Oct. 5, 2026
Sources
Reported by 2 outlets
Taxes and money
None stated in sources.
Who's involved
Foundation for Individual Rights and ExpressionPlaintiff suing on behalf of student organizations
Fellowship of Christian University Students at UT DallasNamed plaintiff in lawsuit
University of Texas SystemDefendant appealing lower court ruling
Adam SteinbaughFIRE senior attorney
Daniel OrtnerUniversity of Texas System lawyer
The facts
Fifth Circuit heard oral arguments Oct. 5 in free speech case against UT System.1
Senate Bill 2972 requires public universities to restrict expressive activities 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. and last two weeks of semester.1
Lower court ruling halted enforcement of the speech restrictions.1
FIRE sued on behalf of student organizations including Fellowship of Christian Students at UT Dallas.1
UT System appealed lower court's injunction halting enforcement.1
Who said what
These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.
Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Law restricts students' free speech and would chill speech on UT campuses.1
University of Texas System Law merely directs universities to enact policies and does not regulate student conduct; students should challenge specific campus policies, not the state law.1
How they headlined it
The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.
Appeals court mulls case on ‘expressive activities’ curfew at University of Texas
These outlets were found through Google News headlines. Google decides which outlets appear there, and they lean mostly one way, so this sheet can only be as balanced as the reporting it was built from. Leanings are AllSides Media Bias Ratings.
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