HF 1689 Summary

• Requires Minnesota State Colleges and Universities to adopt written sexual harassment and sexual violence policies that inform victims of their rights under the crime victims bill of rights and include reporting procedures and disciplinary actions.

• Mandates affirmative consent standards in policies requiring all parties to express knowing, voluntary, and active consent through clear words or actions, with consent being revocable at any time and not implied by silence or prior relationships.

• Prohibits institutions from sanctioning students who report sexual harassment or sexual violence in good faith, even if they admit to violating student conduct policies regarding drug or alcohol use during the report.

• Requires comprehensive prevention and outreach programs addressing sexual harassment and sexual violence, including empowerment programming, awareness campaigns, bystander intervention, and mandatory orientation programming for all incoming students.

• Appropriates unspecified funding in fiscal year 2016 from the general fund to the Department of Education for a grant to the Sexual Violence Center to create age-appropriate affirmative consent curriculum for middle and high schools.