A measure that would protect student journalists from censorship hit a roadblock in the state legislature.

House Majority Leader John Allen pulled the bill from consideration after more than an hour of debate.

The measure would declare that student editors - not administrators - are responsible for determining the content of school-sponsored media.

Opponents, including Representative Eddie Farnsworth, said the bill isn’t necessary.

"The First Amendment already exists," Farnsworth said. "If schools are violating the First Amendment then it's an actionable offense."

Proponents said the bill would prevent administrators from censoring publications, except under narrow circumstances.

It also would spell out that university and community college administrators have no right to block the distribution of a publication.