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Utah Senate advances campus-safety bill requiring training and systemwide plans
Summary
Senate bill 134 would require higher-education institutions to adopt campus safety plans and require recognized student organizations to provide annual safety training; supporters cited federal definitions and testimony on high victimization rates for students, while senators pressed for clarification on coordination with local police.
Senators advanced legislation aimed at standardizing campus-safety planning and training at Utah colleges and technical colleges.
Senate Bill 134, sponsored by Senator J. Iwamoto, would require institutions to develop a campus-safety plan and set minimum training curriculum for student organizations that seek or retain official recognition from their institution. The proposal covers sexual assault, domestic and dating violence and stalking, and would require institutions to make policies, victim resources and reporting procedures available, to describe how the institution would inform the campus community about crimes that present a threat, and to report annually to the Legislature on implementation.
"When we send our children to college, we want them to gain their independence… Unfortunately, the unthinkable can happen, and we need safeguards in place so our children have a better chance at fulfilling those dreams," Senator Iwamoto said in presenting the bill.
Supporters at the committee hearing told legislators the bill fills gaps in campus response and prevention. Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown told the committee that females ages 18 through 24 had the highest rates of sexual-assault victimization and that many incidents go unreported. "Every time we allow these crimes to occur, the system has failed, and we need to do better," Chief Brown said.
Wendy Isom, a victim-advocate coordinator for the Salt Lake Police Department, told senators the bill’s list of covered offenses reflect the most prevalent victimizations first responders see and that a coordinated, transparent plan that includes bystander intervention and clear referral pathways would help survivors. Jeff Landlord, general counsel for the Board of Regents, said the Utah System of Higher Education and the technical colleges support uniform safety plans and annual reporting so boards can measure implementation across institutions.
Senators asked about coordination with local law enforcement and whether campus police would be required to report to local authorities. Senator Iwamoto said campus safety plans are intended to cover on-campus and off-campus response and to include coordination with local police and community partners.
The Senate voted to move SB134 to third reading with a roll call of 25 yeas, 2 nays and 2 absent. The bill will be read for a third time and may be considered for final passage in a subsequent floor session.
