Steven T Collis in the Media

Houston Chronicle June 26, 2026

Dan Patrick-led Religious Liberty Commission aims to alter the relationship between church and state

Clinical Professor Steven Collis states that while the term"separation of church and state" doesn’t appear in the Constitution, two religious liberty clauses limit how much the government can interfere with religion or promote one set of faith beliefs over another.

Bloomberg Law May 5, 2026

Texas Ten Commandments Case Shows Supreme Court Clarity Needed

Clinical Professor Steven Collis argues that the Supreme Court's vague 2022 Kennedy v. Bremerton decision left lower courts without adequate guidance on the Establishment Clause, and the recent ruling upholding the Texas law requiring Ten Commandments displays in public school classrooms shows the Court must now step in and provide a clearer framework.

USA Today April 11, 2026

Texas excluded Islamic schools from voucher program, lawsuit says

Professor Steven Collis explains that whether religious discrimination within voucher programs violates the First Amendment has remained an unresolved and complex legal question for years.

Reporting Texas February 25, 2026

Federal Judge Allows Protesters Lawsuit Against UT to Proceed on First Amendment Claims

Clinical Professor Steven Collis explains that the Texas federal court will hear Pro-Palestine student protestors' case against the University of Texas for suppression of free speech.

HuffPost November 25, 2025

Texas Public Schools Are Being Sued For Not Displaying The 10 Commandments

Professor Steven Collis analyzes Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s possible motives for filing lawsuits against school districts over the new state law requiring classrooms to display the Ten Commandments.

AP News September 14, 2025

Workers commenting on Kirk’s death learn the limits of free speech in and out of their jobs

In a news story about regarding the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, Clinical Professor Steven Collis explains the legal grounds for workers potentially losing their jobs over off-duty conduct, including differences between employees in public and private sector jobs.

Desert News July 23, 2025

The Temptation Now Facing America’s Religious Institutions

Professor Steven Collis cautions that weakening the Johnson Amendment may tempt religious groups to embrace partisan politics, risking their spiritual purpose.

Marketplace June 25, 2025

Why a new Texas law worries anime and manga fans in the state

Professor Steven Collis believes that the new Texas law designed to criminalize AI-generated child porn will be enforced in a way that avoids the overreach feared by the comics and manga community.

Inside Higher Ed June 23, 2025

Texas Governor Signs Bill to Limit Expressive Activity on Campuses

Professor Steven Collis explains the main goal of the controversial bill signed by Governor Abbott that limits demonstrations on college campuses as preventing outside agitators from protesting, with the question of legality varying by campus.

Houston Public Media June 19, 2025

Texas bills on religion in public schools await Gov. Abbott’s signature as Sunday deadline looms

Professor Steven Collis predicts that the two new Texas Senate Bills mandating Ten Commandments displays and permitting school prayer will likely face Establishment Clause challenges as red-state legislatures test the limits on religion in schools.

Longview News Journal May 21, 2025

Latter-day Saints Church in Longview holds religious freedom discussion

Clinical Professor Steven Collis spoke at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Longview to discuss religious freedom and diversity in the United States.

Deseret News April 18, 2025

It’s not just the religious conservative schools wondering now if they need to forgo federal funding

Clinical Professor Steven Collis observed that the Trump administration's use of federal funding to influence university policies has occurred before in education, and said that it is unclear if such strings on aid are legally and constitutionally allowed.