Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 5486
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Education
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-09-18: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-10T08:05:34Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation aims to prevent harassment at institutions of higher education by expanding campus security reporting requirements and creating a federal grant program to support anti-harassment efforts.
Key Provisions
- Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require colleges and universities participating in federal student aid programs to include a detailed harassment policy in their annual campus security reports.
- The policy must prohibit harassment based on a student's actual or perceived race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, and related traits), disability, or religion.
- Coverage extends to on-campus locations, off-campus properties, public areas, residential facilities, and electronic communications using school-issued emails, networks, or other technology.
- Institutions must describe prevention programs, reporting procedures, disciplinary processes, possible sanctions, and available counseling services, while designating a specific office or employee to track reports.
- Creates a competitive grant program administered by the Secretary of Education to fund prevention, counseling, and training initiatives at eligible colleges or consortia.
- Grants last up to three years with possible two-year renewals; annual reporting on program effectiveness is required, leading to a best-practices guide.
- Authorizes $50 million annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2031.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Updates the campus crime disclosure rules (previously focused mainly on criminal offenses) to explicitly address patterns of harassment and related institutional responses.
- Adds new definitions for electronic communication and messaging services to cover technology-based harassment.
- Introduces a dedicated federal funding stream for anti-harassment activities, which did not previously exist under this framework.
Potential Impacts
- Requires higher education institutions to revise policies, train staff, and report harassment incidents, increasing administrative workload.
- Provides students and employees with clearer reporting channels and support services.
- Affects the Department of Education through grant administration and oversight.
- No direct effects on international relations are specified.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Institutions of higher education and their administrators.
- Students, faculty, and staff at these institutions.
- The Secretary of Education and relevant congressional committees.
- Nonprofit organizations partnering with colleges on grant-funded programs.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Explicitly states that the Act does not limit or replace existing protections under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, Title IX of the Education Amendments, the Rehabilitation Act, or the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- Broadens the scope of protected characteristics in harassment policies to include gender identity and sexual orientation.
- Mandates that accusers and accused parties receive information on disciplinary outcomes.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (158)
Rep. Amo, Gabe [D-RI-1], Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3], Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large], Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3], Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1], Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26], Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2], Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2], Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30], Rep. Davids, Sharice [D-KS-3], Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7], Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4], Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1], Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10], Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6], Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37], Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3], Rep. Foster, Bill [D-IL-11], Rep. Frankel, Lois [D-FL-22], Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29], Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Horsford, Steven [D-NV-4], Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2], Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9], Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2], Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26], Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17], Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8], Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12], Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8], Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2], Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6], Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4], Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4], Rep. McGarvey, Morgan [D-KY-3], Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4], Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25], Rep. Moskowitz, Jared [D-FL-23], Rep. Mrvan, Frank J. [D-IN-1], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14], Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19], Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1], Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5], Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3] and 108 more
Recent Actions
- 2025-09-18: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 2025-09-18: Introduced in House
- 2025-09-18: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act of 2025 — issued 2025-09-18 — PDF (10 pages)