S. 2859 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Sep 18, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryProtects religious student groups on campuses
This bill says public colleges that receive federal higher education funding can't treat religious student organizations differently than other student groups. If a college denies a religious student organization any rights, benefits, or privileges that other student clubs get—because of the group's religious beliefs, practices, or leadership standards—the college would lose that federal funding.
How it affects you
Religious students and student organizations at public colleges would have clearer protections to operate on equal footing with other campus groups. College administrators and institutions would need to ensure they don't restrict religious student groups in ways they don't restrict other organizations, or risk losing federal education funding.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Sep 18, 2025)
Equal Campus Access Act of 2025
This bill prohibits funding made available under the Higher Education Act of 1965 from being provided to any public institution of higher education (IHE) that denies certain campus rights to religious student organizations.
Specifically, the bill prohibits a public IHE from receiving these funds if it denies a religious student organization any right, benefit, or privilege that is otherwise afforded to other student organizations at the IHE because of the religious student organization's beliefs, practices, speech, leadership standards, or standards of conduct.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 2859
A BILL
Equal Campus Access Act of 2025
Sponsor: Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) · Introduced Sep 18, 2025 · Education · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Mar 19, 2026: “Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Hearings held.”