ATLANTA — The Georgia State Senate has advanced a bill on Wednesday that is aimed at guaranteeing public school students the right to participate in political activities, including protests while at school.

The proposal is intended to protect students’ First Amendment rights and comes after recent walkouts in metro Atlanta schools protesting federal immigration enforcement operations.

Georgia Sen. Ben Watson, a sponsor of the measure, said the proposal honors late political activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated in 2025.

“The TPUSA Act in Georgia will ensure students First Amendment rights to organize, gather and speak are protected regardless of their religious, political or social viewpoints or those of school administrators,” Watson said.

Watson says school administration would still be able to limit activities during instructional time.

“Now more than ever, we need to ensure that students of all backgrounds and beliefs have the right to assemble and conduct free speech,” said Watson. “School officials should not have the power to enforce their own ideologies onto students. This legislation will make clear that in Georgia, students and young people, regardless of political party, shall have the right to peacefully assemble, learn, and express themselves within faith-based or political clubs and groups.”

In response to recent student walkouts, Cobb County school officials said teachers and principals respect students’ rights to express their views in a non-disruptive way. However, they emphasized that students were expected to remain in class and engaged in learning throughout the school day.

The measure passes with democratic support and now moves on to the House.

Michelle, one of the Cobb County students who was recently disciplined for participating in a walkout against ICE, said she supports the proposed legislation.

“I feel that students should be able to take part in our democracy and honestly protest what we need to protest,” she said.