Dive Brief:
- A bipartisan coalition in the U.S. House of Representatives, headed by Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) and Congressman Patrick Meehan (R-PA), on Thursday proposed new legislation to prevent campus sexual assaults.
- The House proposal is meant to serve as a companion to the Senate's Campus Accountability and Safety Act (CASA), also introduced Thursday by Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Claire McCaskill (D-MO).
- In addition to holding institutions more accountable for sex assault prevention and transparency related to such crimes, CASA would also level harsh penalties for not complying with standards set for training, data, and best practices.
Dive Insight:
CASA would also require institutions to issue campus climate surveys to gage how sexual assault is being addressed. The issue has received significant attention in the last few years as dozens of institutions have been accused of mishandling sexual assault cases and even underreporting the crimes.
In September, President Barack Obama also launched a campaign, dubbed "It's On Us," to raise awareness and combat the problem. The U.S. Department of Education also released a list last year of 55 institutions under investigation for Title IX violations related to mishandled sexual assault cases.