PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.

Michael Pohle Jr. Campus Emergency Alert Act

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

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Apr 16, 2012

Michael Pohle Jr. Campus Emergency Alert Act - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to revise the civil penalties applicable to institutions of higher education (IHEs) that fail to properly disclose campus security policies and crime statistics to current students and employees and, upon request, to any applicant for enrollment or employment.

Sets a maximum penalty per violation and a limitation on the total amount an IHE can be penalized each year.

Establishes a minimum penalty for each instance an IHE: (1) substantially misrepresents the number, location, or nature of the crimes it is required to report; (2) fails to notify the campus community of a significant emergency or dangerous situation that is an immediate threat to its health or safety, unless notice would compromise efforts to contain it; or (3) fails to provide the campus community with timely reports on crimes that are considered to be a threat to students and employees and are reported to campus security or the local police.

Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.

Read full official summaryShow less

Expresses maximum and minimum penalty amounts as percentages of the funds an IHE received from the Department of Education in the previous award year.

Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to establish a special account in the Treasury where these penalties are to be collected and from which they are to be disbursed for activities promoting campus safety.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

Who introduced it

Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ] · D–NJ

Committees

  • Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
0 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

    Actions

    A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

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

    2. Introduced in Senate

    Bill text & related measures

    Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

    Related bills identified by Congress.gov

    No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

    Source last updated: Aug 14, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

    Explore the bill from different angles

    Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

    Neutral evidence review

    Objective

    Analyze S.2285 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

    View full prompt & sources
    Fairness and public impact

    Progressive lens

    Examine S.2285 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

    View full prompt & sources
    Institutions and government scope

    Conservative lens

    Examine S.2285 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

    View full prompt & sources
    Individual rights and government power

    Liberty lens

    Examine S.2285 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

    View full prompt & sources