PREFILED
JAN 13 2020
REFERENCE TITLE: universities; public policy events

State of Arizona
House of Representatives
Fifty-fourth Legislature
Second Regular Session
2020

HB 2238
Introduced by
Representative Kern

AN ACT
AMENDING TITLE 15, CHAPTER 13, ARTICLE 2, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES, BY
ADDING SECTION 15-1647; RELATING TO THE ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 15, chapter 13, article 2, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-1647, to read:
15-1647. Office of public policy events; duties; definitions
A. THE ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS SHALL ESTABLISH, FUND AND STAFF AN
OFFICE OF PUBLIC POLICY EVENTS AT EACH UNIVERSITY UNDER THE BOARD'S
JURISDICTION.
B. EACH OFFICE OF PUBLIC POLICY EVENTS SHALL:
1. ORGANIZE, PUBLICIZE AND STAGE DEBATES, GROUP FORUMS AND
INDIVIDUAL LECTURES THAT ADDRESS, FROM MULTIPLE, DIVERGENT AND OPPOSING
PERSPECTIVES, AN EXTENSIVE RANGE OF PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES THAT ARE WIDELY
DISCUSSED AND DEBATED IN SOCIETY AT LARGE.
2. INVITE SPEAKERS WHO HOLD WIDELY DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES, FROM
WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE UNIVERSITY, TO PARTICIPATE IN DEBATES, GROUP FORUMS
AND INDIVIDUAL LECTURES.
THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC POLICY EVENTS SHALL
PRIORITIZE INVITING SPEAKERS FROM OUTSIDE THE UNIVERSITY WHO HOLD
PERSPECTIVES ON WIDELY DEBATED PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES THAT ARE OTHERWISE
POORLY REPRESENTED ON CAMPUS.
3. IF NECESSARY, PROVIDE HONORARIA AND TRAVEL AND LODGING EXPENSES
TO PERSONS FROM OUTSIDE THE UNIVERSITY WHO PARTICIPATE IN DEBATES, GROUP
FORUMS AND INDIVIDUAL LECTURES THAT THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC POLICY EVENTS
ORGANIZES.
4. MAINTAIN A PERMANENT, PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE, SEARCHABLE AND
CURRENT CALENDAR THAT LISTS ALL EVENTS THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC POLICY EVENTS
ORGANIZES AND ALL OTHER DEBATES, GROUP FORUMS AND INDIVIDUAL LECTURES THAT
ADDRESS PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES AND THAT ARE OPEN TO THE ENTIRE CAMPUS
COMMUNITY AT THE UNIVERSITY. THE CALENDAR SHALL INCLUDE THE TITLE OF EACH
EVENT, THE NAME AND INSTITUTIONAL AFFILIATION OF THE SPEAKER OR SPEAKERS
AND THE OFFICE, INSTITUTE, DEPARTMENT, PROGRAM OR ORGANIZATION THAT IS
SPONSORING THE EVENT. THE CALENDAR IS NOT REQUIRED TO INCLUDE EVENTS THAT
ARE SPONSORED BY OFF-CAMPUS GROUPS IN RENTED FACILITIES.
THE OFFICE OF
PUBLIC POLICY EVENTS SHALL POST THIS CALENDAR ONLINE AND PREPARE A PRINTED
COPY FOR ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC ON REQUEST AND SHALL RETAIN ALL
CALENDARS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS FOR PUBLIC REVIEW.
5. BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 1, 2021 AND ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1 OF EACH
YEAR THEREAFTER, TRANSMIT BOTH A PRINTED AND ELECTRONIC COPY OF THE
CALENDAR PREPARED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION FOR THE PREVIOUS ACADEMIC
YEAR TO THE GOVERNOR, THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
6. MAKE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ONLINE A COMPLETE VIDEO RECORD OF EVERY
DEBATE, GROUP FORUM AND INDIVIDUAL LECTURE THAT THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC
POLICY EVENTS ORGANIZES. THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC POLICY EVENTS SHALL DO ALL
OF THE FOLLOWING:
(a) POST THE VIDEO OF EACH EVENT ONLINE WITHIN TEN IN-SESSION
WORKING DAYS AFTER THE EVENT.
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(b) MAINTAIN EACH VIDEO ONLINE FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS AFTER THE
DATE OF THE EVENT.
(c) PERMANENTLY PRESERVE VIDEOS OF EACH DEBATE, GROUP FORUM AND
INDIVIDUAL LECTURE THAT THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC POLICY EVENTS ORGANIZES AT
THE UNIVERSITY AND MAKE THESE VIDEOS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
7. OPEN EACH DEBATE, GROUP FORUM AND INDIVIDUAL LECTURE THAT THE
OFFICE OF PUBLIC POLICY EVENTS ORGANIZES TO ALL STUDENTS, FACULTY AND
STAFF AT THE UNIVERSITY AND, UNLESS RESTRICTING ATTENDANCE BY PERSONS
UNAFFILIATED WITH THE UNIVERSITY IS NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE A COMPELLING
GOVERNMENTAL INTEREST, TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
C. NOTWITHSTANDING SUBSECTION A OF THIS SECTION, THE ARIZONA BOARD
OF REGENTS MAY ASSIGN THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC POLICY EVENTS
PRESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION B OF THIS SECTION TO AN EXISTING ADMINISTRATIVE
OFFICE AT A UNIVERSITY.
IF THE ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ASSIGNS THE
DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC POLICY EVENTS TO AN EXISTING ADMINISTRATIVE
OFFICE PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION, THE ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS SHALL
DESIGNATE AN ADMINISTRATOR IN THAT OFFICE AS THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC POLICY
EVENTS FOR THE UNIVERSITY, AND THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION APPLY TO THE
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC POLICY EVENTS AND THE DIRECTOR'S STAFF.
D. THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC POLICY EVENTS SHALL REPORT DIRECTLY TO
EITHER THE UNIVERSITY OFFICE THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REPORTING AND
ANALYTICS OR TO THE OFFICE OF THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL COUNSEL.
E. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION:
1. "DEBATE" MEANS AN EVENT AT WHICH TWO OR MORE PARTICIPANTS SPEAK
IN FAVOR OF OPPOSING APPROACHES TO THE SAME PUBLIC POLICY DISPUTE, AFTER
WHICH EACH PARTICIPANT IS ALLOTTED TIME TO ADDRESS AND REBUT THE POSITION
PRESENTED BY THE OPPOSING SPEAKER OR SPEAKERS.
2. "GROUP FORUM" MEANS AN EVENT AT WHICH TWO OR MORE SPEAKERS
ADDRESS A PUBLIC POLICY DISPUTE FROM DIVERGENT OR OPPOSING PERSPECTIVES,
AFTER WHICH EACH PARTICIPANT IS ALLOTTED TIME TO ADDRESS QUESTIONS FROM
THE AUDIENCE AND TO COMMENT ON FELLOW SPEAKERS' POSITIONS IF THE
PARTICIPANT CHOOSES.

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