Read the full stored bill text
House of Representatives
sHB5426 / File No. 269 1
General Assembly File No. 269
February Session, 2026 Substitute House Bill No. 5426
House of Representatives, March 31, 2026
The Committee on Higher Education and Employment
Advancement reported through REP. HADDAD of the 54th
Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the House,
that the substitute bill ought to pass.
AN ACT REQUIRING THE AVAILABILITY OF AN ADVISOR DURING
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER
EDUCATION.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) Not later than August 1, 2026, 1
each institution of higher education in the state shall adopt a policy 2
allowing each student to designate an advisor or support person of such 3
student's choice to assist and support such student during a disciplinary 4
proceeding that may result in such student being suspended from such 5
institution, placed on probation, expelled from such institution or 6
prohibited from participating in an intercollegiate athletic program at 7
such institution. Such advisor or support person shall receive copies of 8
any communication relating to such disciplinary proceeding and 9
accompany such student to any meeting relating to such disciplinary 10
proceeding, provided (1) the involvement of such advisor or support 11
person does not result in the postponement or delay of such meeting as 12
scheduled, and (2) for disciplinary proceedings concerning sexual 13
sHB5426 File No. 269
sHB5426 / File No. 269 2
assault, stalking and intimate partner violence, the policies adopted 14
pursuant to the provisions of section 10a -55m of the general statutes 15
concerning a student's entitlement to be accompanied by an advisor or 16
support person shall take precedence over the implementation of the 17
policy adopted under this section to the extent such policies differ. Each 18
institution shall notify every student at the commencement of each 19
academic year and prior to the commencement of such disciplinary 20
proceeding of such policy and the manner in which such student may 21
designate or redesignate such student's choice of advisor or support 22
person. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require an 23
institution to provide an advisor or support person to a student. 24
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2026 New section
HED Joint Favorable Subst.
sHB5426 File No. 269
sHB5426 / File No. 269 3
The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of
the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not
represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose. In general,
fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional
knowledge. Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final
products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.
OFA Fiscal Note
State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill has no fiscal impact to the state or municipalities. It requires
public and private institutions of higher education to allow a student to
designate a support person during certain disciplinary proceedings.
This is not expected to increase the cost to the constituent units of higher
education of such proceedings.
sHB5426 File No. 269
sHB5426 / File No. 269 4
OLR Bill Analysis
sHB 5426
AN ACT REQUIRING THE AVAILABILITY OF AN ADVISOR DURING
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER
EDUCATION.
SUMMARY
This bill requires higher education institutions to adopt a policy by
August 1, 2026 , allowing students to designate an advisor or support
person to assist and support them in disciplinary proceedings that may
result in suspension, probation, expulsion, or a ban from participating
in intercollegiate athletics. The bill requires the advisor or support
person to (1) receive copies of communications about the disciplinary
proceedings and (2) attend any related meetings . This cannot result in
any postponement or delay of a meeting.
The bill requires higher education i nstitutions to notify students
about this policy and how to designate or redesignate a person (1) at the
start of each academic year and (2) before the start of a relevant
disciplinary proceeding. The bill specifies that it does not require an
institution to provide an advisor or support person.
The law already requires institutions to have policies entitling a
student to have an advisor or support person accompany them at a
disciplinary meeting or proceeding involving an allegation of sexual
assault, stalking, or intimate partner violence , as long as it does not
cause any postponement or delay (CGS § 10a -55m(b)(6)(C)(i)). Under
the bill , these existing policies supersede the bill’s new polic y to the
extent they differ.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2026
sHB5426 File No. 269
sHB5426 / File No. 269 5
COMMITTEE ACTION
Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 18 Nay 0 (03/17/2026)