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S. 5657Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

SOS Campus Act

Sponsored by Tim KaineSen. Tim Kaine (D-VA)
Introduced September 30, 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated October 9, 2026 at 3:42 AM UTC

The SOS Campus Act amends the Higher Education Act to require every college or university that gets federal aid to appoint an independent advocate for campus sexual assault prevention and response. The advocate must be experienced, act on behalf of survivors even when that conflicts with the school’s interests, and be protected from retaliation. The law also sets out reporting and public‑information requirements to help students know about and access these services.

Key Provisions

  • Each federally‑funded institution must designate an independent advocate with demonstrated experience in survivor services.
  • The advocate must be appointed according to regulations the Secretary of Education will issue within 180 days of the law’s enactment.
  • Advocates must report annually to an external official on how resources are used and the number of male and female survivors assisted.
  • Advocates are required to provide 24‑hour information, medical care, forensic exams, counseling, legal referrals, and help with reporting to law enforcement, with the survivor’s consent.
  • Advocates may attend any institutional or legal proceeding at the survivor’s request and must keep survivor and witness identities confidential unless state law requires disclosure.
  • Schools must publicly advertise the advocate’s contact information via websites, orientation materials, posters, and staff training.
  • The act does not change existing Title IX or Clery Act obligations; institutions must still comply with those laws.

Legislative Activity

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SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

September 30, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

September 30, 2026

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

September 30, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued September 30, 2026

II

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 5657

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 30, 2026

Mr. Kaine (for himself, Mr. Booker, and Mr. Fetterman) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

A BILL

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require institutions of higher education to have an independent advocate for campus sexual assault prevention and response.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Survivor Outreach and Support Campus Act or the SOS Campus Act.

2.

Independent advocate for campus sexual assault prevention and response

(a)

In General

Part G of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1088 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

494A.

Independent advocate for campus sexual assault prevention and response

(a)

Advocate

(1)

In general

(A)

Designation

Each institution of higher education that receives Federal financial assistance under this title shall designate an independent advocate for campus sexual assault prevention and response (referred to in this section as the Advocate) who shall be appointed based on experience and a demonstrated ability of the individual to effectively provide sexual assault survivor services.

(B)

Notification of existence of and information for the advocate

Each employee of an institution described in subparagraph (A) who receives a report of sexual assault shall notify the survivor of the existence of, contact information for, and services provided by the Advocate of the institution.

(C)

Appointment

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the Survivor Outreach and Support Campus Act, the Secretary shall prescribe regulations for institutions to follow in appointing Advocates under this section. At a minimum, each Advocate shall—

(i)

report to an individual outside the body responsible for investigating and adjudicating sexual assault complaints at the institution; and

(ii)

submit to such individual an annual report summarizing how the resources supplied to the Advocate were used, including the number of male and female sexual assault survivors assisted.

(2)

Role of the advocate

In carrying out the responsibilities described in this section, the Advocate shall represent the interests of the student survivor even when in conflict with the interests of the institution. The Advocate may not be disciplined, penalized, or otherwise retaliated against by the institution for representing the interest of the survivor, in the event of a conflict of interest with the institution.

(b)

Sexual assault

In this section, the term sexual assault means an offense classified as a forcible or nonforcible sex offense under the uniform crime reporting system of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

(c)

Responsibilities of the advocate

Each Advocate shall carry out the following, regardless of whether the survivor wishes the survivor’s report to remain confidential:

(1)
(A)

Ensure that survivors of sexual assault at the institution receive, with the survivor’s consent, the following sexual assault survivor’s assistance services available 24 hours a day:

(i)

Information on how to report a campus sexual assault to law enforcement.

(ii)

Emergency medical care, including follow up medical care as requested.

(iii)

Medical forensic or evidentiary examinations.

(B)

Ensure that survivors of sexual assault at the institution receive, with the survivor’s consent, the following sexual assault survivor’s assistance services:

(i)

Crisis intervention counseling and ongoing counseling.

(ii)

Information on the survivor’s rights and referrals to additional support services.

(iii)

Information on legal services.

(C)

Provide the services described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) either—

(i)

pursuant to a memorandum of understanding (that includes transportation services) at a rape crisis center, legal organization, or other community-based organization located within a reasonable distance from the institution; or

(ii)

on the campus of the institution in consultation with a rape crisis center, legal organization, or other community-based organization.

(D)

Ensure that a survivor of sexual assault may not be disciplined, penalized, or otherwise retaliated against for reporting such assault to the Advocate.

(2)

Guide survivors of sexual assault who request assistance through the reporting, counseling, administrative, medical and health, academic accommodations, or legal processes of the institution or local law enforcement.

(3)

Attend, at the request of the survivor of sexual assault, any administrative or institution-based adjudication proceeding related to such assault as an advocate for the survivor.

(4)

Maintain the privacy and confidentiality of the survivor and any witness of such sexual assault, and the Advocate shall not notify the institution or any other authority of the identity of the survivor or any such witness or the alleged circumstances surrounding the reported sexual assault, unless otherwise required by the applicable laws in the State where such institution is located.

(5)

Conduct a public information campaign to inform the students enrolled at the institution of the existence of, contact information for, and services provided by the Advocate, including—

(A)

posting information—

(i)

on the website of the institution;

(ii)

in student orientation materials; and

(iii)

on posters displayed in dormitories, cafeterias, sports arenas, locker rooms, entertainment facilities, and classrooms; and

(B)

training coaches, faculty, school administrators, resident advisors, and other staff to provide information on the existence of, contact information for, and services provided by the Advocate.

(d)

Clery Act and title IX

Nothing in this section shall alter or amend the rights, duties, and responsibilities under section 485(f) or under title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.) (also known as the Patsy Takemoto Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act).

.

(b)

Program participation agreement

Section 487(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1094(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(30)

The institution agrees to comply with the requirements of section 494A regarding an independent advocate for campus sexual assault prevention and response.

.