Bill aims to increase protections for students on Vt. college campuses

MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) - Vermont lawmakers are trying to increase protections for victims of sexual assault or misconduct on college campuses.

The bill requires colleges to implement a sexual misconduct campus climate survey, amnesty for good faith reports of sexual misconduct and annual awareness programming and training.

Sponsors of the bill say along with bolstering protections for victims, they want to create a statewide standard of how colleges address sexual misconduct on their campuses.

“The main focus of this bill is to really just improve safety on our campuses for college students. Approximately one out of 10 college students in Vermont are going to experience sexual or domestic assault by the time they graduate or leave college,” said Sen. Nader Hashim, D-Windsor County.

Lawmakers say if this bill passes, it will help reduce the fear of retaliation for reporting sexual misconduct.