{"id":7402,"date":"2023-05-04T17:50:23","date_gmt":"2023-05-04T17:50:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/senatedems.com\/chang\/?p=7402"},"modified":"2023-05-04T17:52:01","modified_gmt":"2023-05-04T17:52:01","slug":"senate-moves-bipartisan-package-to-prevent-sexual-assault-and-protect-survivors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.senatedems.com\/chang\/2023\/05\/04\/senate-moves-bipartisan-package-to-prevent-sexual-assault-and-protect-survivors\/","title":{"rendered":"Senate Moves Bipartisan Package to Prevent Sexual Assault and Protect Survivors\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

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LANSING, Mich. (<\/span>May\u00a0<\/span><\/span>4<\/span>, 2023) \u2014\u00a0<\/span><\/span>T<\/span>oday, t<\/span>he\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Michigan\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Senate\u00a0<\/span><\/span>passed\u00a0<\/span><\/span>an extensive, bipartisan package of legislation to bolster state laws\u00a0<\/span><\/span>regarding<\/span>\u00a0sexual assault and\u00a0<\/span><\/span>offer\u00a0<\/span><\/span>greater\u00a0<\/span><\/span>support<\/span>\u00a0for\u00a0<\/span><\/span>survivor<\/span>s.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Senate Bills\u00a0<\/span><\/span>66<\/span>–<\/span>73<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>include key policy reforms that\u00a0<\/span><\/span>have been\u00a0<\/span><\/span>passed through at least one\u00a0<\/span><\/span>legislative\u00a0<\/span><\/span>chamber each term since 2018<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cAfter years of work, the Senate\u00a0<\/span><\/span>ha<\/span>s finally been able to deliver th<\/span>e<\/span>s<\/span>e<\/span>\u00a0important\u00a0<\/span><\/span>policy changes<\/span>\u00a0that\u00a0<\/span><\/span>survivors and advocates have been calling for,<\/span>\u201d said Sen.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>Stephanie Chang<\/span><\/span><\/strong>, sponsor of Senate Bill 66.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u201cI am grateful for the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>individuals and organizations who have shared their stories and continued to be engaged in this effort to strengthen our laws to better protect our residents<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>I also appreciate the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>support for this package from my colleagues\u00a0<\/span><\/span>on\u00a0<\/span><\/span>both<\/span>\u00a0side<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0of the aisle,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>which\u00a0<\/span><\/span>he<\/span>lps<\/span>\u00a0illustrat<\/span>e<\/span>\u00a0that this is a universal concern<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0Sexual assault is something that happens too\u00a0<\/span><\/span>frequently<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span><\/span>today we a<\/span>re taking important steps forward to address it.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/span>S<\/span>enate\u00a0<\/span><\/span>B<\/span>ill<\/span>\u00a066<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>would require the Department of Education to make materials\u00a0<\/span><\/span>regarding<\/span>\u00a0sexual assault and sexual harassment available to school districts and require districts to\u00a0<\/span><\/span>provide<\/span>\u00a0those materials to students in grades 6-12.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Senate Bill 73<\/a>, sponsored by Sen.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>Sue Shink<\/span><\/span><\/strong>, would\u00a0<\/span><\/span>provide<\/span>\u00a0a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) exemption for any information that would reveal the identity of a party who\u00a0<\/span><\/span>proceeds<\/span>\u00a0anonymously in a civil action in which that party alleges that they were the victim of sexual misconduct.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The other bills in the package deal specifically with sexual assault\u00a0<\/span><\/span>under the guise of medical care,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>criminalizing it and outlining corresponding penalties.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>The bill numbers,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>lead\u00a0<\/span><\/span>sponsors and descriptions are as follows:<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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