Tennessee sent legislation to Republican Gov. Bill Lee’s desk that would ban “staging walkouts” at public universities, aiming to protect speakers from disruption. The bill—dubbed the “Charlie Kirk Act,” after a conservative activist—requires public colleges to adopt portions of the University of Chicago’s free expression policy, including a restriction on obstructing or interfering with views students oppose. The statute defines walkouts as “considerable disruption or distraction” that may require pauses during invited speaker remarks, and it lays out disciplinary consequences ranging from probation to suspension and expulsion for repeat violations. The bill also includes language preventing institutions from disinviting speakers based on their beliefs or in response to opposition. For faculty governance and student life offices, the change raises immediate compliance and training needs, while free-speech advocates and some faculty members question whether the provisions are too ambiguous and how political bias could be reflected in enforcement. Campuses preparing for speaker series, debate events, and contentious political programming face a narrower margin for tolerated protest conduct.