Colorado college students won’t be restricted to a “free-speech zone,” which allows them to speak their minds just about anywhere on campus.

Gov. John Hickenlooper Tuesday signed into law the abolition of free-speech zones on public college campuses. The areas have been used to confine public demonstrations to designated areas.

But critics say college and universities have used free-speech zones to actually restrict the free expression of ideas by insulating students from speech they may find offensive or threatening.

Supporters say that Senate Bill 62, which breezed through both the House and Senate, was needed to ensure higher education remains a place to openly discuss ideas and different viewpoints, even if those viewpoints offend them.

“Once we limit free speech to a zone, we indicate to our students that free speech does not exist anywhere beyond that zone,” said state Sen. Tim Neville, a co-sponsor of the bill. “That is not the message we want to send to future generations about our core values.”

Senate Bill 62 attracted bipartisan support. It prohibits the creation of free speech zones, along with any other policy suggesting that free speech is off limits to certain parts of campus.

Free speech includes speaking, distributing material or holding a sign.

It also allows students to sue if they feel their rights have been violated. They can only recover attorney’s fees and court costs, but not damages.

Colleges will still be allowed to impose “reasonable time, place and manner” restrictions on speech, such as making sure a protest doesn’t interrupt a class.

The University of Colorado raised early objections of the bill but now supports it, since the bill preserved the university’s ability to maintain student safety.