On January 8, 2025, CT Representative Donna Veach reintroduced a bill proposal HB-5036.  This would require institutions of higher educations to allow victims of intimate partner violence to participate in any investigation or administrative hearing conducted in cases where the accused is a student or employee of the institution but the victim is not.  This proposal was formerly known as HB-5340 and is based on my daughter's assault in 2020 by a CCSU student.  On March 5, 2024 I gave testimony to the Higher Education Committee at the CT General Assembly, detailing how CCSU mishandled their misconduct investigation of her abuser, an active student athlete at CCSU.  The Committee immediately voted UNANIMOUSLY to move the bill proposal forward.  This was great news! However, the short legislative session ended and so did the movement of the proposal.  With the new legislative session just beginning last month, Rep Veach reintroduced the bill under a new number and we have to start all over again.  I have written a letter to the Committee members requesting another public hearing asap so it doesn't get left on the floor again.  I am ready to provide more testimony and do whatever it takes to get this moved through the legislature before June 4 when the session ends.  

Please write a short letter to the Committee members...even a few lines will do...and implore them to move HB-5036 forward.  Read through the linked articles in my main petition; quote the importance of this bill and how we can not tolerate institutions continuing to turn a blind eye to victims at the hands of their students. 

We must make the CT State Colleges and Universities Board of Regents change their policy on victim participation in intimate partner violence investigations.  Without this, more victims will be marginalized and discarded by the broken system that sweeps domestic and intimate partner violence under the rug; they've given too much power to the abusers and no justice to the victims.

Here is a linked list of Committee members to write to.  Click on the blue banner that says "Committee Membership"... CT Higher Education Committee Members List

You can also upload your letter to the Testimony Portal on the same page; just click on "Submit Public Hearing Testimony" in the Contacts section.  Be sure to note "HB-5036".

Thank you!