By: Huffman, et al. S.B. No. 576
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a reporting requirement for certain incidents of sexual
harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking at certain
public and private institutions of higher education; creating a
criminal offense; authorizing administrative penalties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 51, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter E-3 to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER E-3. REPORTING INCIDENTS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT, SEXUAL
ASSAULT, DATING VIOLENCE, AND STALKING
Sec. 51.281. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board.
(2) "Dating violence" means abuse or violence, or a
threat of abuse or violence, against a person with whom the actor
has or has had a social relationship of a romantic or intimate
nature.
(3) "Postsecondary educational institution" means:
(A) an institution of higher education, as
defined by Section 61.003; and
(B) a private or independent institution of
higher education.
(4) "Private or independent institution of higher
education" has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
(5) "Sexual assault" means sexual contact or
intercourse with a person without the person's consent, including
sexual contact or intercourse against the person's will or in a
circumstance in which the person is incapable of consenting to the
contact or intercourse.
(6) "Sexual harassment" means unwelcome, sex-based
verbal or physical conduct that:
(A) in the employment context, unreasonably
interferes with a person's work performance or creates an
intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment; or
(B) in the education context, is sufficiently
severe, persistent, or pervasive that the conduct interferes with a
student's ability to participate in or benefit from educational
programs or activities at a postsecondary educational institution.
(7) "Stalking" means a course of conduct directed at a
person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for the person's
safety or to suffer substantial emotional distress.
Sec. 51.282. REPORTING REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN INCIDENTS.
(a) An employee of a postsecondary educational institution, or,
subject to Subsection (b), an officer of a student organization
registered with a postsecondary educational institution, who
witnesses or receives information regarding the occurrence of an
incident of sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, or
stalking alleged to have been committed by or against a person who
was a student enrolled at or an employee of the institution at the
time of the incident shall promptly report the incident to the
institution's Title IX coordinator or deputy Title IX coordinator.
(b) An officer of a student organization registered with a
postsecondary educational institution is required to report an
incident under Subsection (a) only if the officer witnessed or
received information regarding the occurrence of the incident while
acting in the officer's official capacity, including while on the
premises of property owned by the student organization or at an
event held or sponsored by the student organization.
(c) Except as provided by Subsection (d), the report must
include all information concerning the incident known to the
reporting person that is relevant to the investigation and, if
applicable, redress of the incident, including whether an alleged
victim has expressed a desire for confidentiality or anonymity in
reporting the incident.
(d) An employee of a postsecondary educational institution
designated by the institution as a person with whom students may
speak confidentially concerning sexual harassment, sexual assault,
dating violence, or stalking shall, in making a report under this
section, state only the type of incident reported and may not
include any information that would violate a student's expectation
of privacy.
(e) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a person is not
required to make a report under this section concerning an incident
in which the person was a victim of sexual harassment, sexual
assault, dating violence, or stalking.
Sec. 51.283. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
(a) Not less than once per month, the Title IX coordinator of a
postsecondary educational institution shall submit to the
institution's chief executive officer a written report on the
reports received under Section 51.282, including information
regarding:
(1) the investigation of those reports;
(2) the disposition, if any, of any disciplinary
processes arising from those reports; and
(3) the reports for which the institution determined
not to initiate a disciplinary process, if any.
(b) The Title IX coordinator of a postsecondary educational
institution shall immediately report to the institution's chief
executive officer an incident reported to the coordinator under
Section 51.282 if the coordinator has cause to believe that the
health or safety of any person is in imminent danger as a result of
the incident.
(c) At least once during each fall or spring semester, the
chief executive officer of a postsecondary educational institution
shall submit to the institution's governing body a report
concerning the reports received under Section 51.282. The report:
(1) may not identify any person; and
(2) must include:
(A) the number of reports received under Section
51.282;
(B) the number of investigations conducted as a
result of those reports;
(C) the disposition, if any, of any disciplinary
processes arising from those reports;
(D) the number of those reports for which the
institution determined not to initiate a disciplinary process, if
any; and
(E) any disciplinary actions taken under Section
51.285.
(d) A report submitted under Subsection (c) is public
information subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, Government
Code, and a private or independent institution of higher education
is a governmental body with respect to such a report for purposes of
that chapter.
Sec. 51.284. IMMUNITIES. (a) A person acting in good
faith who reports or assists in the investigation of a report of an
incident described by Section 51.282(a) or who testifies or
otherwise participates in a disciplinary process or judicial
proceeding arising from a report of such an incident:
(1) is immune from civil or criminal liability that
might otherwise be incurred or imposed as a result of those actions;
and
(2) may not be subjected to any disciplinary action by
the postsecondary educational institution at which the person is
enrolled or employed for any violation by the person of the
institution's code of conduct occurring in relation to the
incident.
(b) Subsection (a) does not apply to a person who
perpetrates or assists in the perpetration of the incident reported
under Section 51.282.
Sec. 51.285. FAILURE TO REPORT OR FALSE REPORT; OFFENSES.
(a) A postsecondary educational institution shall terminate the
employment of an employee who:
(1) is required to make a report under Section 51.282
and fails to promptly make the report without good cause, as
determined by the institution; or
(2) with the intent to harm or deceive, knowingly
makes a report under Section 51.282 that is false.
(b) A postsecondary educational institution shall terminate
the employment of the institution's Title IX coordinator or chief
executive officer if the coordinator or officer fails to make a
report as required under Section 51.283.
(c) A postsecondary educational institution shall suspend
for at least one year or expel a student who:
(1) is required to make a report under Section 51.282
and fails to promptly make the report without good cause, as
determined by the institution; or
(2) with the intent to harm or deceive, knowingly
makes a report under Section 51.282 that is false.
(d) A person commits an offense if the person is an employee
of a postsecondary educational institution and:
(1) is required to make a report under Section 51.282
and knowingly fails to make the report; or
(2) with the intent to harm or deceive, knowingly
makes a report under Section 51.282 that is false.
(e) An offense under Subsection (d) is a Class B
misdemeanor, except that the offense is a Class A misdemeanor if it
is shown on the trial of the offense that the actor intended to
conceal the incident that the actor was required to report under
Section 51.282.
Sec. 51.286. CONFIDENTIALITY. (a) Unless waived in
writing by the alleged victim, the identity of an alleged victim of
an incident reported under Section 51.282:
(1) is confidential and not subject to disclosure
under Chapter 552, Government Code; and
(2) may be disclosed only to:
(A) the postsecondary educational institution to
which the report is made as necessary to conduct an investigation of
the report; or
(B) a law enforcement officer as necessary to
conduct a criminal investigation of the report.
(b) A disclosure under Subsection (a) is not a voluntary
disclosure for purposes of Section 552.007, Government Code.
Sec. 51.287. RETALIATION PROHIBITED. (a) A postsecondary
educational institution may not discipline or otherwise
discriminate against a student or an employee who in good faith:
(1) makes a report as required by Section 51.282; or
(2) cooperates with an investigation, a disciplinary
process, or a judicial proceeding relating to a report made by the
student or employee as required by Section 51.282.
(b) Subsection (a) does not apply to a student or an
employee who:
(1) reports an incident described by Section 51.282(a)
perpetrated by the student or employee; or
(2) cooperates with an investigation, a disciplinary
process, or a judicial proceeding relating to an allegation that
the student or employee perpetrated an incident described by
Section 51.282(a).
Sec. 51.288. COMPLIANCE. (a) The chief executive officer
of each postsecondary educational institution shall annually
certify in writing to the coordinating board that the institution
is in substantial compliance with this subchapter.
(b) If the coordinating board determines that a private or
independent institution of higher education is not in substantial
compliance with this subchapter, the coordinating board may assess
an administrative penalty against the institution in an amount not
to exceed $2 million. In determining the amount of the penalty, the
coordinating board shall consider the nature of the violation and
the number of students enrolled at the institution.
(c) If the coordinating board assesses an administrative
penalty against a private or independent institution of higher
education under Subsection (b), the coordinating board shall
provide to the institution written notice of the coordinating
board's reasons for assessing the penalty.
(d) A private or independent institution of higher
education assessed an administrative penalty under Subsection (b)
may appeal the penalty in the manner provided by Chapter 2001,
Government Code.
(e) A private or independent institution of higher
education may not pay an administrative penalty assessed under
Subsection (b) using state or federal money.
(f) An administrative penalty collected under this section
shall be deposited to the credit of the sexual assault program fund
established under Section 420.008, Government Code.
(g) The coordinating board shall annually submit to the
governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of
representatives, and the standing legislative committees with
primary jurisdiction over legislation concerning sexual assault at
postsecondary educational institutions a report regarding
compliance with this subchapter, including a summary of the
postsecondary educational institutions found not to be in
substantial compliance as provided by this section during the
calendar year preceding the date of the report.
Sec. 51.289. RULES. The coordinating board shall adopt
rules as necessary to implement and enforce this subchapter,
including rules that ensure implementation of this subchapter in a
manner that complies with federal law regarding confidentiality of
student educational information, including the Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Section 1232g).
Sec. 51.290. TRAINING ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) The
commissioner of higher education shall establish an advisory
committee to develop recommended training for persons required to
report certain incidents under Section 51.282 and for Title IX
coordinators at postsecondary educational institutions.
(b) The advisory committee consists of nine members
appointed by the commissioner of higher education. Each member
must be a chief executive officer of a postsecondary educational
institution or a representative designated by that officer.
(c) Not later than December 1, 2017, the advisory committee
shall develop the recommended training under Subsection (a).
(d) This section expires September 1, 2018.
SECTION 2. Section 420.008(b), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(b) The fund consists of:
(1) fees collected under:
(A) [(1)] Article 42A.653(a), Code of Criminal
Procedure;
(B) [(2)] Section 508.189, Government Code; and
(C) [(3)] Subchapter B, Chapter 102, Business &
Commerce Code, and deposited under Section 102.054; and
(2) administrative penalties collected under Section
51.288, Education Code.
SECTION 3. Sections 51.281-51.289, Education Code, as added
by this Act, apply beginning January 1, 2018.
SECTION 4. Not later than January 1, 2019, the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board shall submit its initial report
required under Section 51.288(g), Education Code, as added by this
Act.
SECTION 5. (a) Except as provided by Subsections (b) and
(c) of this section, this Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
(b) Section 51.290, Education Code, as added by this Act,
takes effect immediately if this Act receives a vote of two-thirds
of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39,
Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the
vote necessary for immediate effect, Section 51.290, Education
Code, as added by this Act, takes effect September 1, 2017.
(c) Section 51.285(d), Education Code, as added by this Act,
takes effect January 1, 2018.