Bill would fine schools $100k or more for failing to protect religious students

Reps. Elise Stefanik(RN.Y.) and Nicole Malliotakis (RN.Y.) reintroduced the University Accountability Act bill on Monday to penalize educational institutions that fail to protect Jewish students.

“I will continue to lead efforts to rid our colleges and universities of antisemitism alongside President Trump, who is delivering on his promise to hold these failed institutions accountable for their neglect and abandonment of our Jewish students,” Stefanik stated.

The New York representative’s nomination to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations was recently withdrawn due to internal Republican party considerations.

The House Ways and Means Committee approved the bill last year, but the legislation failed to receive a vote from the full House before the time expired in December. It was originally tabled last July.

The bill would require colleges and universities that violate Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act to pay a $100,000 fine, or 5% of the total amount that the school reports on its 990 tax form in employee payment, including bonuses, incentives and the like—whichever is greater. (The 1964 law bars institutions that receive federal funding from discriminating, including on the basis of religion.)

After a school accrued three civil rights violations, the bill would trigger an Internal Revenue Service review of its tax-exempt status for potential revocation.

“Universities have a responsibility to protect their students from violence and discrimination, but, instead, we’re seeing a disturbing increase in antisemitic attacks and rhetoric on college campuses,” Malliotakis stated.

“Our legislation seeks to hold these institutions accountable and encourage them to investigate and crack down on instances of antisemitism to help foster a safer academic environment for all students, regardless of their gender, race or religion,” she stated.

© JNS