After nearly a year and a half, a bill requiring more transparency surrounding campus sexual assaults is headed to the governor’s desk.
State senators unanimously okayed the proposal Wednesday, forcing colleges and universities to report statistics on the number of sexual assaults after three years.
More immediately, most campus employees would undergo mandatory training to help point alleged victims toward counseling or other resources at the school.
They would also offer to report the incident to police.
House Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst (D-Bear), a main backer of the bill, says it’s a long time coming.
“We’re catching up to the 21st century, so we’re getting there and it’s a hot issue that we need to address and I think everyone in the State of Delaware understands that,” Longhurst said.
The proposal had been in limbo since it was introduced last spring, until lawmakers dropped a mandatory reporting clause that angered activists and nonprofits.
Gov. Jack Markell (D) is expected to sign the bill soon.
