Senator Steve Daines has introduced the Equal Campus Access Act of 2025, legislation aimed at ensuring public colleges and universities do not discriminate against religious student organizations.
Daines said the measure is designed to safeguard religious liberty for students of faith, requiring schools that receive federal funding to treat religious groups the same as any other student organization when it comes to recognition, funding, and campus access.
“America would not be the land of the free without our fundamental right to freedom of religion, and our college campuses should be the strongest defenders of these rights,” Daines said in a statement. “This bill makes certain that public colleges treat religious student organizations the same as every other student group. Now more than ever, our nation needs students to live out and share their faith together. I’m proud to stand behind this bill.”
The legislation comes amid ongoing national debate over free expression and religious rights in higher education. Conservative and Christian student groups have, in recent years, reported being denied official recognition or funding at some universities because their membership requirements or leadership standards were deemed inconsistent with campus nondiscrimination policies. Critics argue those policies often restrict religious groups from requiring leaders to share their faith.
Cases at universities in Iowa, Michigan, and California have drawn national attention, with some disputes ending up in federal court. In several instances, courts have ruled that public universities violated the First Amendment by de-registering Christian or conservative groups while allowing secular organizations to operate under similar requirements.
The Equal Campus Access Act of 2025 will now move to the Senate committee process for consideration.