SB575: Bill Text

SB575,,123 1. The attorney general.

SB575,,124 2. A district attorney.

SB575,,125 3. Any person whose expressive rights were violated through the violation of this section.

SB575,,126 (c) Subject to par. (d), in an action brought under par. (a), if the court finds a violation, the court shall award to the plaintiffs all of the following:

SB575,,127 1. Total damages for all prevailing persons aggrieved by the violation of not less than $500 for the initial violation plus $50 for each day the violation remains ongoing, which shall accrue starting on the day after the complaint is served on the district board.

SB575,,128 2. Notwithstanding s. 814.04 (1), court costs and reasonable attorney fees.

SB575,,129 (d) In an action brought under par. (a), the total damages, excluding court costs and attorney fees, that may be awarded to plaintiffs in a case or cases stemming from a single controversy may not exceed an aggregate amount of $100,000. In violations harming multiple plaintiffs, the court shall divide the damages equitably among them until the maximum award is exhausted, if applicable.

SB575,,130 (e) If a court awards to plaintiffs damages, court costs, or attorney fees in an action brought under this subsection, the district board shall pay the total amount of the award from moneys that the district board has allocated for its administrative expenses.

SB575,,131 (f) Section 893.80 does not apply to an action brought against a district board under this section.

SB575,6 Section 6. 38.35 of the statutes is created to read:

SB575,,133 38.35 Due process guarantees in disciplinary proceedings. (1) Definitions. In this section:

SB575,,134 (a) “Disciplinary proceeding” means an investigatory interview or hearing, or any other procedure adopted and used by a district board, relating to an alleged violation that may result in disciplinary action against a student, employee, or organization.

SB575,,135 (b) “Employee” means a staff member, faculty member, or administrator employed by a district board.

SB575,,136 (c) “Fully participate” includes having the opportunity to make opening and closing statements, to examine and cross-examine witnesses, and to provide the accuser or accused with support, guidance, and advice.

SB575,,137 (d) “Organization” means a student organization, employee organization, or independent organization that is officially recognized by a district board.

SB575,,138 (2) Due process guarantees. (a) A student who has enrolled in a district school has a property interest in maintaining the student’s status as a student that may be terminated against the student’s will only for due cause, including failure to meet academic standards, failure to pay fees or other costs required for continued enrollment, failure to meet the district board’s attendance requirements, or a violation of the district board’s conduct rules. A student who is accused of a violation of disciplinary or conduct rules that carries a potential penalty of suspension of more than 9 days or expulsion shall have the right to be represented, at the student’s expense, by a licensed attorney or, if the student prefers, a non-attorney advocate, who shall be permitted to fully participate during the disciplinary proceeding.

SB575,,139 (b) In addition to any substantive or procedural rights set forth in an employee’s employment contract, an employee who is accused of a violation of disciplinary or conduct rules shall have the right to be represented, at the employee’s expense, by a licensed attorney or, if the employee prefers, a non-attorney advocate, who shall be permitted to fully participate during the disciplinary proceeding.

SB575,,140 (c) An organization that is accused of a violation of disciplinary or conduct rules shall have the right to be represented, at the organization’s expense, by a licensed attorney or, if the organization prefers, a non-attorney advocate, who shall be permitted to fully participate during the disciplinary proceeding.

SB575,,141 (d) If a disciplinary proceeding arises from a complaint by a student against a student, employee, or organization, the complaining student shall also have the right to be represented, at that student’s expense, by a licensed attorney or, if the complaining student prefers, a non-attorney advocate.

SB575,,142 (e) Prior to initiating a disciplinary proceeding or investigation, a district board shall notify the student, employee, or organization that a complaint has been made and inform the student, employee, or organization of his, her, or its due process rights.

SB575,,143 (f) In a disciplinary proceeding, a district board is not obligated to follow the state’s rules of evidence but shall make a good faith effort to include only relevant, probative evidence and shall exclude evidence that is neither relevant nor probative.

SB575,,144 (g) Before a disciplinary proceeding is scheduled, and at least 2 business days before a student, employee, or organization may be questioned by a district board or agent of the district board about allegations of violations of the district board’s disciplinary or conduct rules, the district board shall advise the student, employee, or organization in writing of the student’s, employee’s, or organization’s rights under this subsection.

SB575,,145 (h) The right of a student, employee, or organization to be represented by an attorney or a non-attorney advocate applies until the conclusion of any appellate process.

SB575,,146 (i) A district board shall ensure that all parties to a disciplinary proceeding, including the accused student, the accused employee, the accused organization, and, if applicable, the accusing student, have access to all material evidence, including both inculpatory and exculpatory evidence, not later than one week prior to the start of any formal hearing or similar adjudicatory proceeding. This evidence may include complainant statements, 3rd-party witness statements, electronically stored information, written communications, social media posts, and demonstrative evidence but may not include any materials that are privileged under applicable federal or state law.

SB575,,147 (j) A district board shall ensure that a disciplinary proceeding is carried out free from conflicts of interest by prohibiting overlap of administrative or adjudicative roles. An individual may not serve in more than one of the following roles:

SB575,,148 1. Counselor or advocate of the accuser or victim.

SB575,,149 2. Investigator.

SB575,,150 3. Hearing panel member.

SB575,,151 4. District board prosecutor.

SB575,,152 5. Adjudicator.

SB575,,153 6. Appellate adjudicator.

SB575,,154 (k) This subsection does not affect the obligation of a district board to provide equivalent rights to a student who is the accuser or victim in the disciplinary proceeding, including equivalent opportunities to have others present and fully participate during the disciplinary proceeding, to not limit the choice of attorney or non-attorney advocate in any meeting or in the disciplinary proceeding, and to provide simultaneous notification of the district board’s procedures for the accused and the accuser or victim to appeal the result of the disciplinary proceeding.

SB575,,155 (L) Nothing in this subsection shall prevent the temporary suspension of a student, employee, or organization pending an investigation.

SB575,,156 (3) Penalties. (a) A district board that violates this section more than once in a 10-year period is ineligible for allocation of grants under s. 39.435, except grants awarded under s. 39.435 (2) or (5), for a period of no less than one fiscal year.

SB575,,157 (b) In addition to the period of ineligibility under par. (a), if a district board administrator causes the violation of this section, the district board is not eligible for allocation of grants under s. 39.435, except grants awarded under s. 39.435 (2) or (5), until the administrator is permanently removed from his or her administrative role.

SB575,,158 (c) The penalties under this subsection apply if any of the following find, on the basis of a preponderance of the evidence, that the district board violated this section:

SB575,,159 1. A state or federal court in this state.

SB575,,160 2. The higher educational aids board.

SB575,,161 3. Any standing committee of the legislature having jurisdiction over matters relating to higher education.

SB575,7 Section 7. 39.285 (1) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

SB575,,163 39.285 (1) (c) The board shall ensure that any formula approved under par. (a) takes into consideration any University of Wisconsin institution’s loss of funding allocation under s. 36.42 (3) (a) and (b) or technical college district board’s loss of funding allocation under s. 38.35 (3) (a) and (b).

SB575,,164 (end)