AB 1549, as introduced, Rendon. Postsecondary education: Equity in Higher Education Act.
Existing law, known as the Donahoe Higher Education Act, sets forth, among other things, the missions and functions of California’s public and independent segments of higher education and their respective institutions of higher education. Provisions of the act apply to the University of California only to the extent that the Regents of the University of California, by appropriate resolution, act to make a provision applicable.
A portion of the Donahoe Higher Education Act known as the Equity in Higher Education Act requires, among other things, that each postsecondary institution in the state have a written policy on sexual harassment and display a copy of that policy in a prominent location, as defined, in the main administrative building or other areas of the campus or schoolsite.
This bill would add to the Equity in Higher Education Act a provision requiring that the written policy on sexual harassment also be displayed in a prominent location on the official Internet Web site of each postsecondary educational institution.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 66281.5 of the Education Code is
2amended to read:
(a) It is the policy of the State of California, pursuant
4to Section 66251, that all persons, regardless of their sex, should
5enjoy freedom from discrimination of any kind in the
6postsecondary educational institution of the state. The purpose of
7this section is to provide notification of the prohibition against
8sexual harassment as a form of sexual discrimination and to provide
9notification of available remedies.
10(b) Each postsecondary educational institution in the State of
11California shall have a written policy on sexual harassment. It is
12the intent of the Legislature that each educational institution in
13this state include this policy in its regular policy statement rather
14than distribute an additional written
document.
15(c) The postsecondary educational institution’s written policy
16on sexual harassment shall include information on where to obtain
17the specific rules and procedures for reporting charges of sexual
18harassment and for pursuing available remedies.
19(d) A copy of the postsecondary educational institution’s written
20policy on sexual harassment shall be displayed in a prominent
21location in the main administrative building or other area of the
22campus or schoolsitebegin insert and on the official Internet Web site of the
23institutionend insert. “Prominent location” means that location, or those
24locations, in the main administrative building or other areabegin insert, and
25on the official Internet Web site of the institution,end insert
where notices
26regarding the institution’s rules, regulations, procedures, and
27standards of conduct are posted.
28(e) A copy of the postsecondary educational institution’s written
29policy on sexual harassment, as it pertains to students, shall be
30provided as part of any orientation program conducted for new
31students at the beginning of each quarter, semester, or summer
32session, as applicable.
33(f) A copy of the postsecondary educational institution’s written
34policy on sexual harassment shall be provided for each faculty
35member, all members of the administrative staff, and all members
36of the support staff at the beginning of the first quarter or semester
37of the school year, or at the time that there is a new employee
38hired.
P3 1(g) A copy of the postsecondary educational institution’s written
2policy on sexual
harassment shall appear in any publication of the
3institution that sets forth the comprehensive rules, regulations,
4procedures, and standards of conduct for the institution.
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