1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Student Rights Act of 2018 . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Freedom of speech is a fundamental natural right. (2) Freedom of assembly and freedom of association are a necessary part of such freedom of speech. (3) The First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, ratified on December 15, 1791, protects freedom of speech for Americans. (4) Freedom of inquiry, impossible without the freedom of speech, should be a first principle amongst American public institutions of higher education to promote civic deliberation, the discourse of ideas, and the search for truth. (5) Freedom of speech has been abridged at many public institutions of higher education. (6) It is necessary to clarify the rights of students to assemble, associate, speak, and think freely. (7) It is necessary to notify students at public institutions of higher education of their rights under the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States and ensure a fair judicial process for such students to challenge violations of their rights. 3. Right to free speech in outdoor areas Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.) is amended— (1) in section 487(a), by adding at the end the following: (30) In the case of a public institution, the institution will comply with the expressive activity protections described in section 493E. ; and (2) in part G, by adding at the end the following: 493E. Campus individual rights (a) Definition of expressive activities (1) In general In this section, the term expressive activity includes— (A) peacefully assembling, protesting, or speaking; (B) distributing literature; (C) carrying a sign