I 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5277 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require institutions of 
higher education to have an independent advocate for campus sexual 
assault prevention and response. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 30, 2014 
Mrs. DAVIS of California introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require 
institutions of higher education to have an independent 
advocate for campus sexual assault prevention and re-
sponse. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Survivor Outreach and 
Support Campus Act’’ or the ‘‘SOS Campus Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. INDEPENDENT ADVOCATE FOR CAMPUS SEXUAL AS-
SAULT PREVENTION AND RESPONSE. 
Part B of title I of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1011 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘SEC. 124. INDEPENDENT ADVOCATE FOR CAMPUS SEXUAL 
ASSAULT PREVENTION AND RESPONSE. 
‘‘(a) ADVOCATE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(A) DESIGNATION.—Each institution of 
higher education that receives Federal financial 
assistance under title IV shall designate an 
independent advocate for campus sexual assault 
prevention and response (referred to in this sec-
tion as the ‘Advocate’) who shall be appointed 
based on experience and a demonstrated ability 
of the individual to effectively provide sexual as-
sault victim services. 
‘‘(B) NOTIFICATION
OF
EXISTENCE
OF 
AND INFORMATION FOR THE ADVOCATE.—Each 
employee of an institution described in subpara-
graph (A) who receives a report of sexual as-
sault shall notify the victim of the existence of, 
contact information for, and services provided 
by the Advocate of the institution. 
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‘‘(C) APPOINTMENT.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of the Sur-
vivor Outreach and Support Campus Act, the 
Secretary shall prescribe regulations for institu-
tions to follow in appointing Advocates under 
this section. At a minimum, each Advocate shall 
report to an individual outside the body respon-
sible for investigating and adjudicating sexual 
assault complaints at the institution and shall 
submit to such individual an annual report 
summarizing how the resources supplied to the 
Advocate were used, including the number of 
male and female sexual assault victims assisted. 
‘‘(2) ROLE
OF
THE
ADVOCATE.—In carrying 
out the responsibilities described in this section, the 
Advocate shall represent the interests of the student 
victim even when in conflict with the interests of the 
institution. 
‘‘(b) SEXUAL ASSAULT.—In this section, the term 
‘sexual assault’ means penetration, no matter how slight, 
of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or 
oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without 
the consent of the victim, including when the victim is in-
capable of giving consent. 
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‘‘(c) RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ADVOCATE.—Each 
Advocate shall carry out the following, regardless of 
whether the victim wishes the victim’s report to remain 
confidential: 
‘‘(1)(A) Ensure that victims of sexual assault at 
the institution receive, with the victim’s consent, the 
following sexual assault victim’s assistance services 
available 24 hours a day: 
‘‘(i) Information on how to report a cam-
pus sexual assault to law enforcement. 
‘‘(ii) Emergency medical care, including 
follow up medical care as requested. 
‘‘(iii) Medical forensic or evidentiary ex-
aminations. 
‘‘(B) Ensure that victims of sexual assault at 
the institution receive, with the victim’s consent, the 
following sexual assault victim’s assistance services: 
‘‘(i) Crisis intervention counseling and on-
going counseling. 
‘‘(ii) Information on the victim’s rights and 
referrals to additional support services. 
‘‘(iii) Information on legal services. 
‘‘(C) The services described in subparagraphs 
(A) and (B) may be provided either— 
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‘‘(i) on the campus of the institution in 
consultation with a rape crisis center, legal or-
ganization, or other community-based organiza-
tion; or 
‘‘(ii) pursuant to a memorandum of under-
standing (that includes transportation services), 
at a rape crisis center, legal organization, or 
other community-based organization located 
within a reasonable distance from the institu-
tion. 
‘‘(D) A victim of sexual assault may not be dis-
ciplined, penalized, or otherwise retaliated against 
for reporting such assault to the Advocate. 
‘‘(2) Guide victims of sexual assault who re-
quest assistance through the reporting, counseling, 
administrative, medical and health, academic accom-
modations, or legal processes of the institution or 
local law enforcement. 
‘‘(3) Attend, at the request of the victim of sex-
ual assault, any administrative or institution-based 
adjudication proceeding related to such assault as an 
advocate for the victim. 
‘‘(4) Maintain the privacy and confidentiality of 
the victim and any witness of such sexual assault, 
and shall not notify the institution or any other au-
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thority of the identity of the victim or any such wit-
ness or the alleged circumstances surrounding the 
reported sexual assault, unless otherwise required by 
the applicable laws in the State where such institu-
tion is located. 
‘‘(5) Conduct a public information campaign to 
inform the students enrolled at the institution of the 
existence of, contact information for, and services 
provided by the Advocate, including— 
‘‘(A) posting information— 
‘‘(i) on the website of the institution; 
‘‘(ii) in student orientation materials; 
and 
‘‘(iii) on posters displayed in dor-
mitories, cafeterias, sports arenas, locker 
rooms, entertainment facilities, and class-
rooms; and 
‘‘(B) training coaches, faculty, school ad-
ministrators, resident advisors, and other staff 
to provide information on the existence of, con-
tact information for, and services provided by 
the Advocate. 
‘‘(d) CLERY ACT AND TITLE IX.—Nothing in this 
section shall alter or amend the rights, duties, and respon-
sibilities under section 485(f) or title IX of the Education 
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Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.) (also 
known as the Patsy Takemoto Mink Equal Opportunity 
in Education Act).’’. 
Æ 
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