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Split at public hearing over bill to require campus hate-incident coordinators, with opponents warning of surveillance and policing
Summary
The Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee held a packed public hearing on SB 980, a bill that would require Title VI coordinators and clearer campus procedures for responding to hate incidents; supporters said it would standardize reporting and accountability, while opponents warned it would expand surveillance and policing and chill free expression.
The Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee heard more than 200 public commentators Wednesday on SB 980, a proposed law that would require each campus to designate a Title VI coordinator, set reporting procedures for bias incidents and establish campus task forces to respond to hate incidents.
Supporters said the measure would give students a clear point of contact and consistent processes across campuses. David Warren, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, told the committee, "This bill does not censor controversial opinions or academic inquiry. It simply clarifies how colleges should respond to behavior that goes beyond protected expression." He urged the committee to adopt the bill to ensure clearer, fairer responses to threats and harassment.
But the hearing made clear the bill is deeply divisive. Student leaders, faculty and civil‑rights advocates said the bill’s language — especially…
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