AN ACT CONCERNING SEXUAL ASSAULT AND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE ON CAMPUS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 10a-55a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2014):

(a) On or before September 1, 1991, and annually thereafter, each institution of higher education shall prepare in such manner as the president of the Board of Regents for Higher Education shall prescribe a uniform campus crime report concerning crimes committed in the immediately preceding calendar year within the geographical limits of the property owned or under the control of such institution and incidences of sexual assault and intimate partner violence, as such terms are defined in section 10a-55m, as amended by this act, committed in the immediately preceding calendar year against a student or employee of such institution, regardless of where such incidences occurred. Such report shall be in accordance with the uniform crime reporting system pursuant to section 29-1c, provided such report is limited to those offenses included in part I of the most recently published edition of the Uniform Crime Reports for the United States as authorized by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Justice, [and] sexual assault under sections 53a-70, 53a-70a, 53a-70b, 53a-71, 53a-72a, 53a-72b and 53a-73a, and every incidence of intimate partner violence that was reported to the state police, local police department, a member of the institution of higher education's special police force established pursuant to section 10a-156b or campus security personnel. The state police, local police departments and special police forces [established pursuant to section 10a-156b] shall cooperate with institutions of higher education in preparing such reports. Institutions with more than one campus shall prepare such reports for each campus.

Sec. 2. Section 10a-55m of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2014):

(a) For purposes of this section:

(1) "Awareness programming" means programming designed to communicate the prevalence of sexual assaults and intimate partner violence, including the nature and number of cases of sexual assault and intimate partner violence reported at each institution of higher education in the preceding three calendar years;

(2) "Bystander intervention" means the awareness, skills and ability to challenge the social norms in such community that support, condone or permit sexual assault and intimate partner violence;

[(2)] (3) "Institution of higher education" means an institution of higher education as defined in section 10a-55;

[(3)] (4) "Intimate partner violence" means any physical or sexual harm against an individual by a current or former spouse of or person in a dating relationship with such individual that results from any action by such spouse or such person that may be classified as a sexual assault under section 53a-70, 53a-70a, 53a-70b, 53a-71, 53a-72a, 53a-72b or 53a-73a, stalking under section 53a-181c, 53a-181d or 53a-181e, or domestic violence as designated under section 46b-38h;

[(4)] (5) "Primary prevention programming" means programming and strategies intended to prevent sexual assault and intimate partner violence before it occurs by means of changing social norms and other approaches;

[(5)] (6) "Sexual assault" means a sexual assault under section 53a-70, 53a-70a, 53a-71, 53a-72a, 53a-72b or 53a-73a; and

[(6)] (7) "Uniform campus crime report" means a campus crime report prepared by an institution of higher education pursuant to section 10a-55a, as amended by this act.

(b) Each institution of higher education shall adopt and disclose in such institution's annual uniform campus crime report one or more policies regarding sexual assault and intimate partner violence. Such policy or policies shall include provisions for (1) detailing the procedures that students and employees of the institution who report or disclose being the victim of sexual assault or intimate partner violence may follow after the commission of such assault or violence, including persons or agencies to contact and information regarding the importance of preserving physical evidence of such assault or violence; (2) providing students and employees of the institution who report or disclose being the victim of sexual assault or intimate partner violence both concise, written contact information for and, if requested, professional assistance in accessing and utilizing campus, local advocacy, counseling, health and mental health services, and [written] concise information, written in plain language, concerning the rights of such students and employees to (A) notify law enforcement of such assault or violence and receive assistance from campus authorities in making any such notification, and (B) obtain a protective order, apply for a temporary restraining order or seek enforcement of an existing protective or restraining order, including, but not limited to, orders issued pursuant to section 46b-15, 46b-38c, 53a-40e, 54-1k, 54-82q or 54-82r, against the perpetrator of such assault or violence; (3) notifying such students and employees of the reasonably available options for and available assistance from such institution in changing academic, living, campus transportation or working situations in response to such assault or violence; (4) honoring any lawful protective or temporary restraining orders, including, but not limited to, orders issued pursuant to section 46b-15, 46b-38c, 53a-40e, 54-1k, 54-82q or 54-82r; (5) disclosing a summary of such institution's disciplinary procedures, including clear statements advising such students and employees that (A) victims of such assault or violence shall have the opportunity to request that disciplinary proceedings begin promptly, (B) disciplinary proceedings shall be conducted by an official trained annually in issues relating to sexual assault and intimate partner violence and shall use the preponderance of the evidence standard in making a determination concerning the alleged assault or violence, (C) both the victim of such assault or violence and the accused (i) are entitled to be accompanied to any meeting or proceeding relating to the allegation of such assault or violence by an advisor or support person of their choice, provided the involvement of such advisor or support person does not result in the postponement or delay of such meeting as scheduled, and (ii) shall have the opportunity to present evidence and witnesses on their behalf during any disciplinary proceeding, (D) both such victim and accused are entitled to be informed in writing of the results of any disciplinary proceeding not later than one business day after the conclusion of such proceeding, and (E) the institution of higher education shall not disclose the identity of the victim or the accused, except as necessary to carry out a disciplinary proceeding or as permitted under state or federal law; and (6) disclosing the range of sanctions that may be imposed following the implementation of such institution's disciplinary procedures in response to such assault or violence.

(c) Each institution of higher education shall [, within existing budgetary resources, offer] provide (1) sexual assault and intimate partner violence primary prevention and awareness programming for all students and employees that includes an explanation of the definition of consent in sexual relationships, [and] information concerning the reporting of incidences of such assaults and violence [,] and strategies for bystander intervention; [and risk reduction;] and (2) ongoing sexual assault and intimate partner violence prevention and awareness campaigns.

(d) Each institution of higher education may provide the option for any student or employee of such institution who is the victim of a sexual assault or intimate partner violence to report or disclose such assault or violence to such institution anonymously, provided maintaining the confidentiality of such student or employee does not result in a violation of state or federal law. Each such institution shall notify any such student or employee of the institution's obligation under state or federal law, if any, to investigate such assault or violence and the identity of such student or employee.

(e) Each institution of higher education shall provide concise notification, written in plain language, to each student and employee of such institution who has been the victim of sexual assault or intimate partner violence, immediately upon receiving a report of such assault or violence, of such victim's rights and options under such institution's policy or policies regarding sexual assault and intimate partner violence adopted in accordance with subsection (b) of this section.

(f) Not later than January 1, 2015, and annually thereafter, each institution of higher education shall report to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to higher education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, concerning, for the immediately preceding academic year, (1) a copy of its most recent policies regarding sexual assault and intimate partner violence adopted in accordance with subsection (b) of this section, or any revisions thereto, (2) a copy of its most recent concise written notification of a victim's rights and options under its sexual assault and intimate partner violence policy or policies required pursuant to subsection (e) of this section, and (3) not later than July 1, 2015, (A) the number and type of sexual assault and intimate partner violence prevention and awareness programs at the institution, (B) the number of students and employees of the institution who received services from such programs, (C) the number and type of sexual assault and intimate partner violence prevention and awareness campaigns held at the institution, (D) the number of students and employees of the institution who participated in such campaigns, (E) the number of incidences of sexual assault and intimate partner violence reported to the institution's Title IX coordinator, (F) the number of confidential or anonymous reports or disclosures to the institution of sexual assault and intimate partner violence, (G) the number of disciplinary cases at the institution related to sexual assault and intimate partner violence resolved through mediation, (H) the number of disciplinary cases at the institution related to sexual assault and intimate partner violence resolved through both informal hearings and formal hearings, and (I) the final outcome of all disciplinary cases at the institution related to sexual assault and intimate partner violence, including, but not limited to, the outcome of any appeals of such final outcome.

Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2014) (a) Not later than January 1, 2015, each institution of higher education shall establish a trained sexual assault response team for each of its campuses. The sexual assault response team shall consist of individuals selected by the president of each institution of higher education and may include not less than one member from (1) among each of its administration, counseling services office, health services office, women's center, special police force or campus security personnel, faculty, senior and mid-level staff, student body, residential life office, and judicial hearing board; (2) a community-based sexual assault crisis service center; and (3) the criminal justice system within the judicial district in which such institution of higher education is located, including, but not limited to, members of the state police and local police department and prosecutors employed by the Division of Criminal Justice.

(b) Each institution of higher education shall ensure that every member of the sexual assault response team receives comprehensive training in (1) the awareness and prevention of sexual assault and intimate partner violence, and communicating with and providing assistance to any student or employee of the institution who is the victim of such assault or violence; (2) the sexual assault and intimate partner violence policies of such college or institution; (3) the provisions of Title IX of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1972, 20 USC 1681 et seq., and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, 20 USC 1092(f); (4) victim-centered response and the role of community-based sexual assault victim advocates; (5) the role and functions of each member on such sexual assault response team for the purpose of ensuring a coordinated response to reported incidences of sexual assault and intimate partner violence, as defined in section 10a-55m of the general statutes, as amended by this act; and (6) communicating sensitively and compassionately with the victims of such assault or violence and providing services to or assisting in locating services for such victims.

(c) Not later than July 1, 2015, the sexual assault response team shall review the sexual assault and intimate partner violence policies adopted by its institution of higher education in accordance with section 10a-55m of the general statutes, as amended by this act, and develop protocols in accordance with such policies for providing support and services to any student or employee who reports being the victim of sexual assault or intimate partner violence. Such team shall meet not less than once per semester to review such protocols and ensure that they are updated as necessary.

Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2014) Not later than January 1, 2015, each institution of higher education shall enter into and maintain a memorandum of understanding with at least one community-based sexual assault crisis service center for purposes of (1) ensuring that any student or employee of such institution who reports or discloses being the victim of sexual assault or intimate partner violence can access free and confidential counseling and advocacy services, either on or off campus, and (2) establishing a partnership with such service center, including, but not limited to, (A) involvement of the institution's sexual assault response team, and (B) trainings between the institution and such service center to ensure the understanding of each other's role in responding to reports and disclosures of sexual assault and intimate partner violence against students and employees of the institution and the institution's protocols for providing support and services to such students and employees, developed in accordance with subsection (c) of section 3 of this act.

Statement of Purpose:

To improve campus sexual assault and intimate partner violence policies and the response of institutions of higher education to reports of sexual assault of intimate partner violence against students and employees of such institutions.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]