New Orleans Rep. Aimee Freeman (D)
A bill requiring mandatory reporting on college campuses of power-based abuse passes unanimously in the Louisiana House. New Orleans Representative Aimee Freeman says her bill is a result of the Husch Blackwell Report that found numerous incidents of mishandled cases of sexual assault and harassment at LSU.
“It’s a clear designation of employee reporting obligations relative to power-based abuse,” said Freeman.
Power-based abuse includes sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating violence, rape, and domestic violence. The bill also requires termination of an employee if they fail to report the conduct to the Title IX coordinator.
Freeman introduced an amendment to the bill to clarify how a mandatory reporter must learn of the power-based abuse.
“The person who is a mandatory reporter has to have a direct statement made to them and they can’t just overhear it in a classroom or in another manner,” said Freeman.
Freeman said she worked with the Board of Regents at all public universities and STAR, Sexual Trauma Awareness Response Group…
“As well as LSU’s students Tigers Against Sexual Assault and many others who came to the table,” said Freeman.
The Bill which is part of the Governor’s legislative agenda now heads to the Senate. The Senate has also passed a similar version of this legislation.
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