Bill > S926

This bill requires secondary and postsecondary institutions in Massachusetts that offer study abroad programs to prioritize student health, safety, and security by conducting comprehensive risk assessments, maintaining written emergency plans, and establishing reporting mechanisms for incidents. Institutions must train staff in emergency response and provide students with pre-travel safety briefings about potential risks at their destination. By November 1st each year, these institutions must submit an annual report to the Secretary of the Commonwealth detailing any student deaths, hospitalizations, sexual assaults, or crimes that occurred during program participation, including specifics about the incidents and the primary program host. The Secretary is then required to publish these reports on their website, along with links to U.S. Department of State travel advisories and publicly available reports on criminal acts affecting study abroad participants. Institutions must also provide prospective program participants with a link to the Secretary's website where they can access safety information. The goal of this legislation is to increase transparency and proactively manage risks for students participating in international educational programs, helping them make more informed decisions about studying abroad and ensuring their well-being while traveling.

Education

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S926