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Lawmakers split over immunity for statements in campus Title IX proceedings; committee refers bill to floor
Summary
The Judiciary Committee voted to send Senate Bill 977 — providing civil immunity for people who report sexual assault, stalking and intimate-partner violence in campus Title IX proceedings — to the floor after members split over whether university adjudication systems provide adequate due process.
Senate Bill 977, intended to provide civil immunity to students and employees who report sexual assault, stalking and intimate-partner violence in campus Title IX proceedings, was referred to the floor after a lengthy debate in which committee members disagreed about fairness and procedural safeguards.
Opponents argued the university adjudicative process lacks the procedural safeguards of a judicial proceeding. One representative recounted a campus case and said victims were sometimes denied notice and the chance to present their evidence. “Until we change this system … I can't support what's before us,” that representative said. Another member referenced the Connecticut Supreme Court decision discussed in testimony — cited in the meeting as Conn. v. Yale, 347 Conn. 1 — and said the court concluded that certain university proceedings did not qualify as quasi-judicial because they lacked adequate safeguards.
Supporters said the bill aims to protect those who report serious misconduct in campus proceedings and urged lawmakers to act to reduce revictimization. Several representatives said they supported the bill’s intent while acknowledging the need to improve university adjudicative procedures.
The committee took a roll-call vote and referred the measure to the floor for further consideration.
Why it matters: The bill raises a fundamental tension between protecting reporters of sexual misconduct and ensuring fair adjudication for respondents in campus systems. Several lawmakers indicated they would work with proponents to address procedural safeguards if the bill moves forward.
Procedure: The motion to JF to the floor was moved by Senator Flexer and seconded by the Representative noted on the record; the committee recorded a roll-call vote and referred the bill to the floor.
