Bill > S2242

This bill establishes a task force on sexual assault climate surveys for Massachusetts colleges and universities, which will be co-chaired by the commissioners of higher education and public health, and include representatives from the attorney general's office, Jane Doe Inc., the Victim Rights Law Center, rape crisis centers, the University of Massachusetts, state universities, community colleges, and independent colleges. The task force's primary responsibility is to develop a model sexual assault climate survey, designed to assess the prevalence and perceptions of sexual assault on campuses, ensuring student responses are anonymous and confidential, and that results are not broken down by demographics unless there's a sufficient sample size. Colleges and universities will be required to administer this model survey, or an approved campus-specific survey, to a representative sample of their students, with the task force analyzing the collected data and publishing a report after seeking feedback from relevant higher education bodies.