Tennessee lawmakers advanced a new ban on “staging walkouts” at public universities, aiming to protect speaker events from disruption while locking institutions into elements of the University of Chicago’s free-expression policy. The bill, HB 1476—described by supporters as the “Charlie Kirk Act”—heads to Gov. Bill Lee after passage of the legislature. Under the measure, “walkouts” are defined broadly as considerable disruption or distraction during an invited speaker’s remarks. Violations could trigger disciplinary probation and, after repeat infractions, suspension and expulsion. The law also directs public colleges to adopt standards that limit obstruction and prevents disinviting speakers on the basis of beliefs or opposition. Faculty and free-speech advocates warned the language is ambiguous and could shift campus speech governance toward political decision-making, complicating how universities interpret and enforce free-expression principles in practice.