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Delegate Kaufman urges schools to publish misconduct policies under HB 495
Summary
A House hearing heard supporters argue House Bill 4 95 would require K–12 schools and universities to make existing sexual-misconduct and anti‑discrimination policies and resources easy to find and proactively distribute them to students, staff and families.
Delegate Erin Kaufman (D–Montgomery County) asked the Ways and Means Committee on behalf of House Bill 4 95 for a favorable report, saying the bill would require K–12 schools and universities to bring existing sexual‑misconduct and related anti‑discrimination policies and resources “forward and proactively communicate them to the school community.”
Kaufman told the committee that survivors frequently cannot find resources when they need them, describing an instance in Montgomery County where a survivor spent “over 25 minutes” trying to locate campus resources. “Students and staff need to know where to go and who to go to ahead of time,” Kaufman said, adding the requirement would not impose new substantive policies on schools but would make existing resources easier to locate.
A representative of RAINN, identified in testimony as a vice president of public policy for the national anti‑sexual‑violence nonprofit, told the committee that parents, teachers and students often must “dig through web pages, hunt down handbooks, and spend hours figuring out what resources exist” after a disclosure. The witness said easy access to policies and resources increases the likelihood that survivors will report and get help and likened the need for routine communication to the familiarity schools build through fire drills.
Community allies and parents also testified in favor. Liz Hammond, speaking for Community Allies for Rambo Youth (CARI), said the bill would clarify expectations for teachers, administrators and families and proposed training so students, teachers and administrators understand each other’s responsibilities under posted policies. A parent of a survivor (testifying as a citizen) urged that anti‑discrimination policies be written in plain, age‑appropriate language and accompanied by training so students know how to get help and staff know how to respond.
Committee members asked how the requirements would apply in pre‑K and in public‑private partnership programs. Kaufman and the RAINN witness said content should be age‑appropriate and that elementary messaging may focus on boundaries, how to seek adult help, and parent communication. Kaufman said she expected school boards would adopt policies and that the bill simply requires the community be informed about whatever policies already exist.
No action was taken at the hearing; the bill's sponsor asked the committee to return a favorable report for further consideration.
Why it matters: Supporters said clearer, proactively distributed information reduces the burden on survivors in crisis and may improve reporting and access to services. Opponents are not recorded in the hearing transcript; the University System of Maryland provided a letter of information on costs, which Kaufman noted. The committee did not vote on the bill during the hearing.
