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Senate clears consensus bill on higher‑education responses to serious allegations
Summary
House Bill 346, a consensus bill aimed at clarifying campus procedures for serious assault allegations and confidentiality requests, passed unanimously in the Senate after sponsors said it had support from higher‑education stakeholders and victims' counsel.
Senators passed House Bill 346, which clarifies how institutions of higher education may respond to serious allegations of sexual assault and similar offenses while balancing confidentiality requests from victims.
Sponsor Senator Weiler described the bipartisan, consensus drafting with Utah System of Higher Education and the state victims council and said the bill incorporates U.S. Office for Civil Rights guidance. The bill includes an amnesty clause for drug and alcohol code violations in certain contexts; lists aggravated circumstances (for example, a perpetrator’s prior violent history); and adds a penalty for retaliation against victims or witnesses.
Senators noted the bill has unanimous support and that a fiscal note had been resolved with the fiscal analyst. Senator Weiler said the bill does not require institutions to maintain confidentiality where federal regulations or safety considerations warrant more disclosure, and it clarifies when more robust law‑enforcement engagement may be appropriate.
The Senate passed the bill under suspension of the rules; the transcript records 27 yea, 0 nay and 2 absent on the roll call. The sponsor summarized it as a consensus bill designed to reduce confusion in campus processes and protect victims from retaliation.
What’s next: The bill will be returned to the House for further consideration and implementation details will be handled by campus administrations and relevant state agencies.
