PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1786 PRINTER'S NO. 2299
No. 243 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY DINNIMAN, O'PAKE, D. WHITE, BOSCOLA, COSTA, FERLO,
FONTANA, KITCHEN, LAVALLE, MELLOW, RHOADES, TOMLINSON,
WASHINGTON, C. WILLIAMS, EARLL AND LOGAN, FEBRUARY 19, 2008
AS AMENDED, JULY 3, 2008
A RESOLUTION
1 Directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a
2 study to examine state law and school policies and practices
3 regarding the notification of parents when a student violates
4 a public or private institution of higher education's drug
5 and alcohol policy.
6 WHEREAS, Drug and alcohol abuse and addiction have
7 devastating health and social consequences that adversely affect
8 this Commonwealth and the nation; and
9 WHEREAS, Drug and alcohol abuse and addiction are recognized
10 as two of the most serious problems confronting this
11 Commonwealth and the nation; and
12 WHEREAS, In many of the occurrences of drug and alcohol abuse
13 by a student, family members are unaware of the substance abuse;
14 and
15 WHEREAS, Timely notification of parents of students at public
16 and private institutions of higher education would inform the
17 parents regarding the student's potential drug and alcohol
18 problems and enable parents to respond to situations where such
19 information is necessary to protect the health and safety of the
1 student or other individuals; and
2 WHEREAS, Any notification of parents of students by such
3 institutions of higher education with personal information
4 regarding a university or college student must comply with
5 Federal, State and local laws regarding the privacy of student
6 information; therefore be it AND <--
7 WHEREAS, INSTITUTIONS THAT UPHOLD STRICT STANDARDS
8 PROHIBITING DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE BY FACULTY MEMBERS SHOULD
9 PROVIDE PARENTS AND STUDENTS INFORMATION THAT MAY BE NECESSARY
10 TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE STUDENT; THEREFORE BE IT
11 RESOLVED, That the Senate direct the Joint State Government
12 Commission to conduct a study to examine the laws of each state
13 of the United States and the policies and practices of a
14 representative sample of public and private institutions of
15 higher education located in the United States, including this
16 Commonwealth, regarding the notification of parents of students
17 for the purposes set forth in this resolution; and be it further
18 RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission include
19 in its study such determinations, whether and to what extent
20 states through statute or regulation require institutions to
21 provide parents notification of a violation of the institution's
22 drug or alcohol policy by the student or to provide parents
23 personal information from the student's records without the
24 student's consent when the information is necessary to protect
25 the health and safety of the student or other individuals; and
26 be it further
27 RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission include
28 in its study whether the institutions included in the
29 representative sample have adopted or enacted a policy or
30 practice for providing parents notification of a violation of
20080S0243R2299 - 2 -
1 the institution's drug and alcohol policy by the student; and be
2 it further
3 RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission include
4 in its study whether and to what extent institutions included in
5 the representative sample have a policy or practice for the
6 disclosure of personal information from a student's educational
7 records without the student's consent to the student's parents,
8 who are deemed appropriate persons by the institution, where
9 such information is necessary to protect the health and safety
10 of the student or other individuals; and be it further
11 RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission include
12 in its study a summary of the reasons or rationales provided by
13 institutions in the representative sample for either having
14 established a policy or practice for parental notification for a
15 drug and alcohol policy violation by a student or for the
16 disclosure of student personal information without consent to
17 protect the health and safety of the student or other
18 individuals or for not having such a policy or practice; and be
19 it further
20 RESOLVED, THAT THE JOINT STATE GOVERNMENT COMMISSION INCLUDE <--
21 IN ITS STUDY AN EXAMINATION OF THE LAWS OF EACH STATE AND SCHOOL
22 POLICIES AND PRACTICES REGARDING DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE AMONG
23 FACULTY AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION; AND BE IT FURTHER
24 RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission compile
25 a report to summarize the determinations reached in the study
26 and submit the report to the Senate no later than December 1,
27 2008, or six months after enactment of this resolution,
28 whichever is later.
A31L82SFL/20080S0243R2299 - 3 -