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Pennsylvania House of Representatives
07/16/2024 03:50 AM
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?SPick=20210&chamber=H&cosponId=37348
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House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: May 18, 2022 02:21 PM
From: Representative Dan K. Williams
To: All House members
Subject: Madison’s Law – College Sexual Assault Reporting
 
As you may know, a student of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) recently filed a civil lawsuit against the school and a staff member who allegedly took pictures of her personal nude photographs in March 2022. This instance of sexual misconduct is only the latest among others at PAFA, including an incident in 2016 when two students reported that they were raped by another student, and the school received criticism for how it addressed the incident. Madison is one of the victims of sexual misconduct at PAFA and, in her case, she was not given the process and protections that she deserved. Unfortunately, there have been and will continue to be more college students that have such an experience if we do not act.
 
College students who have been the victim of sexual misconduct deserve to see their case through a standard process that provides needed protections from those accused of such actions. That is why I am introducing legislation to require colleges to implement a sexual assault policy that meets or exceeds that of the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s model policy and to investigate reports under that timeline. My bill would also require that colleges provide protections for victims and witnesses while investigations are ongoing. This legislation would ensure that what happened to Madison in the aftermath of her horrific experience will never happen to another college student in Pennsylvania.
 
It is long overdue that we act to ensure that victims of sexual assault at colleges across Pennsylvania are treated with compassion and respect for their well-being. Please join me in co-sponsoring legislation to protect victims of sexual assault in the aftermath of something they never should have experienced.


Introduced as HB2843