Despite objections from Democratic leaders, a bill protecting free speech on Granite State college campuses passed the closely divided New Hampshire House with a solid, bipartisan 206-169 majority.

Under HB 1305, “any member of the campus community who wishes to engage in non-commercial expressive activity on campus shall be permitted to do so freely, as long as the person’s conduct is not unlawful and does not materially and substantially disrupt the functioning of the public institution of higher education.”

Reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions can still be applied.

“We cannot and should not punish people based on the content of their lawful speech, regardless of how repugnant we may find it,” said the bill’s lead sponsor, Rep. Daniel Popovici-Muller (R-Windham). “Free speech is the cornerstone of our nation. Tampering with it is foolish.”

Also speaking on the bill’s behalf was Petersborough Democrat Rep. Jonah Wheeler.

“There’s a problem in our schools right now that students have been reporting for a long time. Their free speech has been hampered…by college administrators who are trying their hardest to keep things nice,” Wheeler said.

“Unfortunately, for those who want to keep things nice and calm and respectful, sometimes freedom of speech requires us to be a little bit passionate. It requires us to say something that the majority of the people in the room might disagree with. In fact, that’s what protest is all about.”