Summary — HB 1279
Title (short): Amendments to the Public School Code — Sexual violence/dating violence/domestic violence/stalking education, prevention and response at postsecondary and private licensed schools
Introduced: November 13, 2024
Status: Referred to Education
Note: This summary is based on the bill title and available bill description. For full legal text and precise requirements (deadlines, definitions, exact reporting formats, penalties and dollar amounts) consult the bill’s enrolled/printed text and any committee or fiscal notes.
Purpose / Intent
HB 1279 would revise and expand existing law in the Public School Code governing education, prevention, response, reporting and enforcement related to sexual violence, dating violence, domestic violence and stalking at institutions of higher education and at private licensed schools. The stated intent is to strengthen institutional policies, improve prevention and survivor supports, standardize reporting/data collection, and increase training and accountability.
Key provisions (high level)
- Amend scope and definitions: update which institutions and incidents are covered and refine statutory definitions used across the article (e.g., sexual harassment, sexual violence, stalking, dating violence, domestic violence, “confidential resource advisor,” etc.).
- Education & prevention programs: require or expand prevention education for students (likely orientation, bystander training, consent education), and for certain private licensed schools.
- Staff training: mandate training for campus personnel/staff—likely including investigators, Title IX coordinators, residence life/staff with student contact—on trauma-informed response, investigation standards and confidentiality.
- Policy & online reporting system: revise postsecondary institution sexual harassment and sexual violence policy requirements and require (or expand) an online reporting mechanism for incidents.
- Sexual misconduct climate surveys: require periodic climate surveys to assess prevalence, reporting rates and campus culture.
- Task Force on Postsecondary Sexual Misconduct: establish a multi‑member task force to review policy, make recommendations, and coordinate statewide best practices.
- Confidential resource advisors: create or define confidential resource advisor roles and protections to provide survivor advocacy and confidential support.
- Waivers for student victims: authorize specific waivers (for example academic or financial relief, housing or deadline adjustments) for student victims — exact forms of waivers to be specified by the bill.
- Data reporting requirements: require institutions to collect and report specified incident, outcome and compliance data to a state entity (or make certain summaries public).
- Enforcement & penalties: strengthen enforcement mechanisms and penalties for non‑compliance by institutions (e.g., administrative sanctions, fines, withholding of approvals) and clarify remedies for victims.
- Editorial changes: technical and organizational edits to implement the above.
Who is affected
- Postsecondary institutions (public and private colleges/universities) and private licensed schools covered under the Public School Code.
- Students, especially survivors of sexual assault/violence, dating or domestic violence, and stalking.
- Campus employees and administrators (Title IX coordinators, investigators, campus safety, residence life, faculty).
- State education agencies (oversight, data collection) and the newly established Task Force.
- Possible fiscal impacts on institutions to implement training, reporting systems, surveys and staffing.
Procedural / timeline aspects
- Current status: Referred to the (House) Education committee after introduction (11/13/2024). Next steps typically include committee hearings, amendments, committee vote, floor debate, and companion action in the Senate.
- Implementation timing, effective dates and any phased compliance schedule would be set in the body of the bill (not provided here).
Potential impacts / considerations
- Compliance costs: institutions may incur costs for mandated training, online reporting systems, survey administration, confidential advisors and expanded reporting.
- Survivor supports: stronger confidentiality protections, waivers and resource advisors may improve access to services and reduce barriers to reporting.
- Data & transparency: standardized reporting and climate surveys can inform policy but raise privacy and data‑security considerations.
- Enforcement: clearer penalties increase accountability but may trigger disputes over compliance and due process standards for involved parties.
For precise obligations, penalties, funding sources or effective dates, review the bill text and any committee or fiscal analyses associated with HB 1279.
