Trauma-Informed Investigation Act

Bill: 116-hr-8136
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI-8]
Introduced: 2020-08-28
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Assault and harassment offenses

Behavioral sciences

Crime victims

Evidence and witnesses

Higher education

Mental health

School administration

Sex offenses

Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination
Latest action: action_date: 2020-08-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-08-28
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Trauma-Informed Investigation Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires institutions of higher education, in order to receive certain federal funds, to ensure that sexual harassment and sexual misconduct investigations are trauma informed. Specifically, these trauma-informed investigations must (1) be equitable and timely; (2) recognize the emotional, behavioral, developmental, and legal challenges related to trauma exposure; and (3) include evidence-based procedures to minimize further trauma to victims.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8136 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES August 28, 2020 Ms. Slotkin (for herself, Ms. Frankel , Ms. Haaland , and Ms. Kuster of New Hampshire ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor A BILL To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to ensure that investigations of sexual misconduct by institutions of higher education are fair, trauma-informed, and evidence-based.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Trauma-Informed Investigation Act . 2. Program participation agreements Section 487(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1094(a) ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (30) The institution will ensure that any investigation of sexual harassment or other sexual misconduct carried out by the institution is a trauma-informed investigation that— (A) is equitable and timely; (B) is conducted in a manner that recognizes the emotional, behavioral, developmental, and legal challenges that can accompany trauma exposure; and (C) includes evidence-based procedures, informed by cognitive science, that are designed to identify, address, and minimize further trauma to victims. .