More than 60 bills named after conservative activist Charlie Kirk have been proposed in over 20 states, according to an Associated Press analysis. The measures—ranging from campus free-speech protections to requirements that public schools teach about religion’s positive historical impact—come after Kirk’s assassination at a Utah university in 2025. Republicans who have advanced the bills cite Kirk’s ideology and legacy; Democrats have objected both to the legislation’s content and to naming state laws after a partisan figure.
The bills demonstrate how Kirk’s death and political influence are being memorialized in state policy, and reveal sharply divergent views on what belongs in education and public speech.
Kansas law allows students to sue schools over free-speech violations
Kansas Republicans enacted legislation this week despite a veto from Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who said the measure would “cause confusion for courts and schools.”
The Kansas law, formally titled the “Kansas intellectual rights and knowledge” act, designates outdoor campus areas as forums for free expression. It limits security fees that student organizations must pay to host events and bans designated “free speech zones” that restrict where activities can occur.
The measure authorizes lawsuits against institutions. The state’s attorney general, or any individual who believes their rights were infringed, can seek damages of at least $500 per violation and $50 for each day it continues.
Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson said Kirk’s legacy motivated the bill. “Charlie Kirk was assassinated for exercising his right to free speech and introducing young people to conservative values,” he said after lawmakers overrode Kelly’s veto. “His mission and legacy will live on and protect the free speech rights of all college students in Kansas for decades to come.”
Democrats opposed the measure. Democratic state Rep. Jerry Stogsdill said legislators should not honor an activist whose statements promoted “hate, bigotry, misogyny and racism.”
Tennessee legislation promotes religion in education
Tennessee Republicans have recently signed two pieces of Kirk-named legislation. One law gives permission for public schools and higher education to teach about what it describes as the positive role of religion in American history—including examples such as the organization of the Pilgrims as a church, George Washington’s direction for Army chaplains, Benjamin Franklin’s appeal for prayer at the constitutional convention, and the impact of evangelist Billy Graham.
A second law, the “Charlie Kirk Act,” addresses campus free speech. It bans attendee walkouts that intentionally disrupt a speaker.
Republican Gov. Bill Lee signed the religion-education bill this week. The law extols the historical “influence of Judeo-Christian values on the freedom and liberties ingrained in our culture.”
Democratic Senator Raumesh Akbari raised concerns about the education law’s effect. “Our public schools are really not the place to push one religion over another,” she said. “I know that is not the stated intent of the bill, but I think that ends up being the result.”
During a committee hearing, Democratic state Rep. Sam McKenzie expressed frustration with the bills’ approach. “How many times have we sat here and endured this? The Charlie Kirk Saves America Act, whatever the heck it is? Come on guys. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s move on,” he said.
Louisiana proposes education requirement tied to Kirk’s name
In Louisiana, Republicans have proposed the “Charlie Kirk Success Sequence Act,” which would require public schools to teach that the keys to success include earning a high school diploma, entering the workforce immediately after high school or college, and marrying before having children.
Democratic Sen. Katrina Jackson-Andrews questioned the bill’s approach. “Why muddy this bill up by putting a controversial political figure’s name on it?” she asked during a recent committee hearing, where her attempt to remove Kirk’s name failed.
Republican Sen. Rick Edmonds, who authored the bill, defended the approach. “In the last 20 years, I cannot think of anyone that’s had the type of impact on our students, on our campuses and in our cities as Charlie Kirk,” he said.
Broader legislative effort and organizational support
The bills are among the first in what Republican supporters say could become a broader trend of state tributes to Kirk. Turning Point USA, the organization Kirk founded, has partnered with Republican-led states to promote its high school chapters, called Club America.
A spokesman for Turning Point USA, Matt Shupe, said the legislation reflects Kirk’s influence. “This shows just how deeply his influence is being felt, especially in the fight to restore intellectual diversity and core American values in education,” he said.
About half the states already have campus free-speech laws, according to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, which has promoted similar legislation.
Kirk was killed while speaking at a university event in Utah in 2025. The AP analysis found more than 60 Kirk-themed bills proposed or enacted in over 20 states, reflecting what supporters describe as his continuing political influence.