Relating to students who are pregnant or who recently gave birth who attend state institutions of higher education governed by the board of regents and community colleges

The bill prohibits an institution from requiring a student enrolled in a course of study or research activity to take a leave of absence, withdraw from a program, or limit the student’s participation in academic activities solely due to pregnancy. The bill requires an institution to make reasonable accommodations to a pregnant student to allow the student to complete a course of study or research. The bill requires an institution to allow a student who is pregnant or has recently given birth an additional amount of time to take examinations, complete a degree, or complete a candidacy for a degree up to the longer of a period consistent with the policies of the institution or months from the date originally scheduled for examination or completion, unless a longer period is medically necessary. The bill requires an institution to allow a student who is pregnant or has recently given birth a period of up to months to take a leave of absence unless there is a medically necessary reason for a longer leave of absence. Following the leave of absence, the student shall be allowed to return to the student’s program with the same standing and manner as the student left to the degree reasonably possible. The bill allows a student who is residing in student housing through the institution that elects to take a leave of absence due to pregnancy or recent birth to reside in student housing during the student’s leave of absence. The bill requires the state attorney general to maintain a system to receive and investigate complaints from students alleging a violation relating to pregnancy and recent birth accommodations. of education’s office for civil rights to allow for an investigation into the institution’s compliance with the federal Higher Education Act of 1965. The bill requires an institution to maintain a written policy for students on pregnancy discrimination and procedures for addressing pregnancy discrimination complaints. The institution must provide a copy of the policy to institution faculty, staff, and employees in required training and to all students attending orientation at the institution. The bill requires an institution to prominently post notice of the protections afforded to pregnant students and students who have recently given birth under the federal Higher Education Act of 1965 on the institution’s internet site. The bill requires an institution to provide information concerning the protections afforded to pregnant students and students who have recently given birth under the federal Higher Education Act of 1965 through the institution’s medical center and student health center to a student upon the student’s request and when otherwise appropriate. The bill requires an institution to assign responsibility for pregnancy and parenting support and protection to a staff member of the institution. The institution must post the responsible person’s name, title, and contact information on the institution’s internet site. The responsibilities assigned to the staff member include but are not limited to maintaining current knowledge of Code provisions relating to accommodations afforded to pregnant students and students who recently gave birth; overseeing institution compliance with Code provisions relating to accommodations afforded to pregnant students and students who recently gave birth; and understanding and publicizing specified topics related to pregnancy and parenting.