AUSTIN — Texas lawmakers have recognized the need to establish and enforce policies against sexual harassment, but they have yet to reveal penalties for violators.

The Texas House updated its sexual harassment policy in December, following media reports about a whisper network among women in the Legislature about known harassers.

The new rules define sexual harassment, require employees to take a training program and explain how to file complaints and where to get counseling. They also state that retaliating against sexual harassment complaints would not be tolerated.

Sexual harassment researchers and women's advocates commended House Speaker Joe Straus for forming a working group last week, but they say the chamber's policy doesn't go far enough because it doesn't include consequences for violators.

Straus tapped Reps. Donna Howard, D-Austin, and Linda Koop, R-Dallas, to lead the 10-member group that will consider how to strengthen the sexual harassment policy, including ways to hold lawmakers and other legislative staff accountable.

Howard, an Administration Committee member, said the panel took immediate action in December to fix an "inadequate" policy, but she agrees the new one needs to include penalties.

"Clearly, there needs to be some kind of assurance that people will be held accountable regardless of their position," she said. "But this does present us with a unique challenge in trying to determine how to create some kind of enforcement ... of an elected official with no employer, but who is accountable to his or her constituents."

She credited the #MeToo movement for focusing the public's attention on sexual harassment, especially in industries where there are large power differentials.

"There has been a culture of inappropriate behavior among those that have power," Howard said. "I don't believe the public at this point would allow us, quite frankly, to push this under the carpet. Many [in the House] have pushed us in the direction of saying, 'We are not going to tolerate this.' We are going to put things in place to make sure people know this is a safe place."

Research shows progress, but not enough

M. Ann McFadyen researches ways to create safe working environments. A management associate professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, McFadyen said without an incentive, people have no real drive to do so.

"People have to be held accountable," she said. "If people are not incentivized to do something, they have less of a need to do that. They have to be held responsible."

McFadyen and fellow UT-Arlington professor James Campbell Quick published a report last year in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology. The report looked at the progress made in preventing workplace sexual harassment over the past two decades. The findings in short: There's still a lot of room for improvement.

A big challenge in the Legislature is one of power and self-control, researcher James Campbell Quick said.

"Elected officials are the 400-pound gorillas in the environment," Quick said. "The people they answer to are the people that elected them. Getting leverage on them is probably going to be really difficult, and they are the ones that control a lot of the power within that kind of organizational system."

Quick has researched sexual harassment for more than 20 years. He views it as a public health issue that needs to be addressed in the early stages. If there's no leverage to punish bad behavior — such as dismissals or forced resignations — there's no way to enforce sexual harassment policy, Quick said.

The new House policy requires lawmakers to watch a sexual harassment training video and pass a test, although it can't be made mandatory for elected officials. Straus, however, said all House members have completed the training.

While an online class is not enough training, it's a good first step, Quick said. In his research, he emphasized the importance of skill-based training, in which people develop emotional intelligence, empathy and self-control.

"We're looking at possibilities with further training with face-to-face interaction, which has been recommended by those who work in this field," Howard said.

They are proceeding deliberately with the policy to avoid unintended consequences, she added.

"We don't want to create something that can be further politicized, or to be used in a way that's beyond the enforcement of a policy," she said. "But at the same time, we want to have credibility. We want people who do business and who come as public citizens to the capitol to know that it's a safe place and they will be treated with respect."

Your move, Texas Senate

Jennifer Treat is the interim executive director of Annie's List, which supports Democratic female candidates. She said while the House had taken important first steps with the working group, it's the Senate's turn to address harassment.

"We need ongoing vigilance in this matter," Treat said in a prepared statement. "It's imperative to create a safe and empowering environment for the women and men who get up every day and do the hard work at the state capitol."

The Senate Administration Committee discussed updating its sexual harassment policy in December but hasn't yet, the Texas Observer reported this month. Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, told the Observer a new policy would be released in the near future.

A week before the committee met last December, The Daily Beast reported on multiple alleged instances of sexual misconduct by Sens. Borris Miles of Houston and Carlos Uresti of San Antonio, both Democrats.

Annie's List called on the senators to resign, but neither did. Miles remains in office, and Uresti was recently found guilty of 11 felony fraud charges. Uresti can keep his seat while he appeals the verdict, but if he loses, he will no longer be able to serve in the Legislature.

Though Howard hasn't talked about potential new rules with anyone in the Senate, she said the chambers should work together and establish guidelines that are essentially the same in each.

What is there to lose?

According to Quick's report, researchers have found that people who are sexually harassed are more likely to experience depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress. But the consequences are not limited to the victims — along with employee turnover and low morale, organizations face financial risks.

Quick cited the recent sexual abuse case regarding sports doctor Larry Nassar. Michigan State University announced a $500 million settlement last week with the women and girls he abused. Former U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold also used $84,000 in taxpayer money to settle with a woman who accused him of harassment. He has said he won't pay that back.

"There is an economic cost to abusing people and especially in trying to hide it," Quick said. "Why would you run that risk in the long run?"