California A.B. 967 – Student Complaints and Arbitration

Sponsor: Assemblymember Das Williams (D)

Summary: Current version (4/23/2015): Requires, in order to receive state funds for student financial assistance, the governing board of each community college district, the Trustees of the California State University, the Regents of the University of California and the governing board of each independent postsecondary institution to adopt and carry out a uniform process, applicable to each campus of the institution, for disciplinary proceedings relating to any claims of sexual assault.

Requires, in order to receive state funds for student financial assistance, the governing board of each community college district, the Trustees of the California State University, the Regents of the University of California, and the governing board of each independent postsecondary institution to report, on an annual basis, data relating to cases of alleged sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. Requires that the information reported to be reported in a manner that provides appropriate protections for the privacy of individuals involved, including, but not necessarily limited to, protection of the confidentiality of the alleged victim and of the alleged perpetrator.

Current version (4/23/2015):  http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/15-16/bill/asm/ab_0951-1000/ab_967_bill_20150423_amended_asm_v97.pdf 

Previous version (3/26/2015):  http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/15-16/bill/asm/ab_0951-1000/ab_967_bill_20150326_amended_asm_v98.pdf 

Introduced:  http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/15-16/bill/asm/ab_0951-1000/ab_967_bill_20150226_introduced.pdf 

Status: Introduced 2/26/2015. Referred to Assembly Committee on Higher Education 3/16/2015. Amended 3/26/2015. Hearing held, reported; re-referred to Assembly Committee on Appropriations 4/21/2015. Amended 4/23/2015. Hearing held 5/6/2015. Hearing scheduled 5/28/2015.

Outlook: At the scheduled suspense file hearing the Assembly Committee on Appropriations is unlikely to accept public testimony, but is expected to vote on this measure. Per Joint Rule 61(a)(5), the Committee has until May 29 to act on this measure.

This bill was determined to have a significant fiscal impact by the committee of referral and has been placed in its suspense file for further consideration.

This measure was withdrawn by the sponsor, amended and re-referred to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations. The author’s amendment requires, in order to receive state funds for student financial assistance the governing board of each independent postsecondary institution to report, on an annual basis, specified data relating to cases of alleged sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.

After allowing for public testimony, the Assembly Committee on Higher Education recommended this measure for passage unanimously during the April 21 hearing.

The sponsor is a member of the majority party and has yet to garner the cosponsorship of any other member of the chamber. The Democratic Party controls both chambers of the Legislature as well as the Office of the Governor.

Effective Date: January 1, 2016

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