Congress·In Committee·H.R. 5545

Congress targets college discipline cases by requiring adviser options for accused students to keep federal funds

Katie Meyer’s Law

6 months ago·View on Congress.gov

⏸

Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

House

Senate

President

Law

Key Points

Congress would tie federal education funding to colleges adopting a rule that students accused of breaking the school conduct code can have an adviser.
Schools would have to tell accused students they can either pick an outside adviser or ask the school to provide an independent adviser.
Any adviser involved would need training on the school’s process, could get bi-weekly updates (with the student’s written okay), and could take part as the student’s advocate.
The bill says schools could provide advisers through staff support roles, student peer-support programs, or alumni-based support programs.
It would also add “reported suicides” to the campus safety statistics schools must disclose when campus security or local police were notified.

EducationCivil Rights

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

How this policy affects specific groups of people

Mixed Impacts(4)

Child Tax Credit

Neutral

Mental Health

Neutral

Disability Benefits

Neutral

Chronic Illness

Neutral

Positive Impacts(1)

Student

Helps

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Sep 23, 2025House

Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Sep 23, 2025

Introduced in House

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

After the bill becomes law and the Education Department/colleges implement it

Colleges update their student conduct notices to include the adviser options

If you get a code-of-conduct allegation notice, it should clearly tell you that you can pick an outside adviser or ask the school for an independent adviser.

First school term after implementation starts

Colleges set up (or expand) an independent adviser program

Students who want help but don’t have their own adviser may be matched with an independent adviser through a coordinator, peer program, or alumni program.

As schools roll out the new adviser policy

Training requirement starts for outside and independent advisers

Advisers who participate will be trained on the school’s hearing rules, which may make support more consistent across cases.

Once adviser programs are operational

Bi-weekly case updates become standard (with the student’s written permission)

If you authorize it, your adviser should receive regular updates every two weeks during the conduct process, helping you keep track of what’s next.