Senate OKs Sen. Dodd’s Campus Harassment Bill

SACRAMENTO – The California Senate today approved a measure from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, that would build on efforts to safeguard students from sexual misconduct and violence on California college campuses by adopting new requirements recommended in a California State Auditor report and by extending those rules to the University of California, California State University and community college systems.

“Today we make real progress toward making our college campuses safer from sexual harassment and violence and improving the way we prevent and monitor these disturbing incidents,” Sen. Dodd said. “As it stands, there’s a serious lack of consistency and accountability from those in charge and we have deficient standards and transparency in the investigation and reporting process. With this measure, we can incorporate key recommendations from the auditor’s report to create meaningful systemic and cultural change.”

Sen. Dodd’s Senate Bill 1166 follows his 2023 legislation that increased transparency and reporting requirements when handling campus harassment cases. That bill, SB 808, required detailed reporting to the Legislature on the investigations and outcomes of sexual harassment reports and formal sexual harassment complaints and requires the California State University to post these annual reports on its internet website for public awareness. It was co-sponsored by the California Faculty Association and the CSU Employees Union.

Under provisions of Sen. Dodd’s latest bill, investigations on UC, CSU and community colleges would be subject to additional oversight, building on reforms to Title IX requirements.

SB 1166 was approved by a unanimous Senate vote. It heads next to the Assembly.

“CSU employees union members applaud the passage of SB 1166 by the California State Senate,” said Catherine Hutchinson, CSUEU president. “We appreciate Sen. Dodd’s ongoing efforts to reform the Title IX processes at public institutions of higher education in California. SB 1166 builds on Sen. Dodd’s prior work to ensure robust reporting and transparency of complaints, investigations and outcomes at the California State University, University of California and California community colleges.”

“There is no doubt that the existing Title IX processes in the UC, CSU and community college systems are failing student survivors,” said Kate Rodgers, co-chief of policy for Generation Up and current UCLA student. “The lack of transparency and state-wide oversight allows sexual violence, harassment and discrimination to go unchecked. SB1166 will empower the Legislature to hold California’s public higher education institutions accountable and equip students with the critical information we need to advocate for our own safety.”

Sen. Dodd’s measures are in response to numerous cases of sexual harassment and violence on CSU campuses in recent years including at Sonoma State University and the California Martime Academy, both in Senate District 3.

Link to State Auditor’s report: https://www.auditor.ca.gov/reports/2022-109/index.html

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Senator Bill Dodd represents the 3rd Senate District, which includes all or portions of Napa, Yolo, Sonoma, Solano, Sacramento and Contra Costa counties. More information on Senator Bill Dodd can be found at www.senate.ca.gov/dodd.