GOP bill would discipline hecklers at UW speeches

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republican legislators are circulating a bill that would require the University of Wisconsin System regents to discipline hecklers at speeches and presentations.

Under the bill, the regents would have to adopt a freedom-of-expression policy that states UW schools shouldn't shield people from speech and the institutions should remain neutral on public policy issues. The policy also would include a range of punishments for people who engage in violent, indecent, boisterous, unreasonably loud or other disorderly conduct that interferes with others' free expression.

The measure, authored by Rep. Jesse Kremer and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, comes after UW-Madison students heckled and traded obscene gestures with former Brietbart editor Ben Shapiro during an appearance on campus in November.

UW System spokeswoman Stephanie Marquis didn't immediately respond to a message.