Bill > HF2008

This bill modifies Minnesota's higher education laws regarding campus sexual misconduct investigations and disciplinary processes, providing more detailed and comprehensive guidelines for how postsecondary institutions must handle sexual misconduct reports. The bill expands definitions of key terms like sexual misconduct, retaliation, and various types of violence, and establishes a more structured grievance process with specific due process protections. Key provisions include requiring institutions to provide impartial and timely investigations, ensuring equal opportunities for reporting and responding parties to present evidence and retain advisors, mandating that decision-makers be neutral, prohibiting direct cross-examination between parties, protecting personal and mental health information, and explicitly prohibiting retaliation against anyone participating in the process. The bill also allows for potential remedial actions including disciplinary measures and, with victim consent, restorative justice services. Importantly, the process must apply a "preponderance of the evidence" standard of proof, meaning that it must be more likely than not that the alleged misconduct occurred. The goal is to create a more transparent, fair, and supportive process for addressing sexual misconduct on college campuses while protecting the rights of all parties involved.

Education

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF2008&ssn=0&y=2025