Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) and Republican Senator Chuck Grassley (IA) introduced the Campus Accountability and Safety Act (S 5047). With nine original co-sponsors and strong bipartisan support, this bill aims to combat sexual assault on college campuses by providing students with additional resources, and it would strengthen colleges’ accountability and transparency standards. The bill would also:
- Increase transparency and reporting required under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act);
- Create a campus safety website that would give students information on each institution’s Title IX coordinator and similar officials, along with instructions on how to file a complaint. It would also include relevant data reported by institutions;
- Establish new campus resources and support services for survivors of campus sexual assault, including coordinators who can provide information and arrange for support services;
- Establish a uniform process to adjudicate sexual assault cases and ensure on-campus personnel receive the proper training; and
- Create a competitive grant program, funded through fines established by the Campus Accountability and Safety Act, to address and prevent sexual violence on college campuses.
To learn more, click here to read about Senators Grassley and Gillibrand’s opinions on the bill.