texas

Texas Bills Aim to Curb Sexual Violence on College Campuses

An Austin Democratic state senator has filed a package of bills requiring Texas colleges to adopt "affirmative consent" policies for sexual contact and create anonymous online reporting tools for assault victims.

The bills were announced Tuesday by Kirk Watson, who got his undergraduate and law degrees from Baylor University. The school has been rocked by a sexual assault scandal that led to the firing of football coach Art Briles and the ouster of university president Ken Starr.

One of Watson's bills would ensure students are not punished by school conduct codes for underage drinking or other rules violations if they report an assault.

More than a dozen women have sued Baylor over the last year alleging that the Baptist school long ignored or mishandled their claims of assault.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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