Bill > H1078

This bill requires post-secondary educational institutions, both public and private, to inform students of their rights before any disciplinary hearing that could lead to suspension or expulsion. Specifically, students must be told they have the right to contact their parents while in the custody of campus police or institutional law enforcement, and they have the right to have an attorney present during any subsequent institutional disciplinary hearings. Additionally, if a school is involved in a criminal investigation or disciplinary hearing concerning a student, or has referred alleged criminal activity to law enforcement, and discovers evidence that could prove the student's innocence (known as exculpatory evidence), the school must immediately notify the relevant law enforcement agency or prosecutor in writing. This provision aims to ensure students are aware of their legal protections and that potentially exonerating evidence is shared with authorities promptly, though it does not prevent a student's temporary suspension while an investigation is ongoing.