Tightening Reporting Requirements for Campus Sexual Assault

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Legislation to mandate reporting of alleged campus sexual assaults to police is advancing in the General Assembly.
 
A state Senate subcommittee approved a bill Monday submitted by Republican Sen. Richard Black of Loudoun County that would require any employee of a state college or university who learns of such an allegation to report it to a local law enforcement agency within 24 hours. Failure to do so would be a misdemeanor.
 
Black's measure is one of 10 bills advancing in the Senate that were prompted by several recent high-profile cases of alleged sexual assaults on Virginia campuses. Similar legislation has been introduced in the House of Delegates.
 
Clergy, attorneys and crisis counselors who obtain the information on a confidential basis would be exempted from the reporting requirement under Black's bill.