When finished, the bill will call for installations across the MSU campus; such as guard rails, improved lighting, camera systems and personal flotation devices to improve the safety of pedestrians across the campus.  

“You’ll notice MSU put up a lot of temporary chain-link fencing in the area where Mr. Santo unfortunately lost his life, and at night that are is pitch black, there's no railings; it's pretty treacherous if you’re not looking where you’re going.” Jenkins said.  

“What this bill would request MSU to do is to work with IPF, the Infrastructure Planning Facilities department at MSU, and to work with qualified organizations like the American Society for Civil Engineers for example... some of the main things we’re calling for is pedestrian safety infrastructure improvements.” he continued.   

When completed, the bill will be brought to an assigned committee within ASMSU, where it will be considered. If the assigned committee approves the bill, it will be then passed on to the ASMSU General Assembly, where they will debate and alter the bill, before deciding to approve or deny the bill. If the bill successfully gets approved at both the committee and General Assembly level, it will then become ASMSU policy. 

Because ASMSU as an organization does not have the power to enact these sorts of changes, this draft bill is being written with the intent to make ASMSU publicly advocate for the policies. This means that if ASMSU were to adopt it, the organization would advocate for the changes it calls for to the University Administration.  

“This is what we would call... an advocacy bill, which is where ASMSU, should they adopt a bill as official policy, would lobby MSU administration to... move on what we’re requesting them to move on.” Jenkins said.

While ASMSU does not have any direct influence over the administration’s decision to adopt the draft bill, or parts of it, into practice, Jenkins is optimistic that ASMSU advocacy would influence change. He cites past instances of successful advocacy bills as evidence that these actions can influence policy decisions within the university.  

“It's completely up to the digression of the university to listen to that bill, but a lot of things that ASMSU have done in the past have become policy. The fall break became what it is because ASMSU pushed for it.... It is possible to make real change through these bills.” Jenkins said.  

Jenkins stressed that he feels it is important to remember the pain felt by the Santo family, and the MSU community at large, when discussing this draft bill, as without the events leading to his death, it is likely that such a bill would not be in the process of being drafted. 

“It’s important to recognize that the reason that this bill has come about and that this has become an issue of public safety is because it was sparked by a tragic event, and the pain that the Santo family is experiencing is unfathomable,” Jenkins said.