The Stop Campus Hazing Act (S.2901, H.R. 5646) requires each institution of higher education that receives federal student aid to maintain and update biannually a website page that discloses student organization violations of the institution’s code of conduct that threaten the safety of students. The report would detail the corrective measures imposed by the school on the student organization. This would allow students and parents to make more informed decisions about which student organizations are safe to join. States such as South Carolina and Pennsylvania have already adapted similar laws, but it would be more effective for federal law to include these disclosures to cover all schools.
FEDERAL LEGISLATION: STOP CAMPUS HAZING ACT
Families of hazing victims meeting with U.S. Representative Marcia Fudge (Ohio)
Special thanks to Arnold & Porter for their pro bono lobbying support.
STATE LEGISLATION
Our coalition worked with prosecutors, legislators and parents to develop this model state legislation. (See more below)
Legislative News
Adam’s Law, requiring hazing prevention training in college, is signed into law
Gov. Glenn Youngkin has signed into law two identical bills that require college students to undergo hazing prevention training, a year after the death of Virginia Commonwealth University freshman.
Named for Adam Oakes, “Adam’s Law” passed unanimously in the Senate and received 98 of 100 votes in the House. Oakes...
Criminal charges for hazing now harsher under law named for N.J.’s Timothy Piazza
People convicted of hazing at New Jersey schools and colleges will now face harsher penalties under a new bill Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law on Tuesday (Aug. 24, 2021).
The legislation, Timothy J. Piazza’s Law, is named for a Readington teenager who died after falling down the stairs during a hazing initiation at...
Collin’s Law signed to stiffen hazing penalties in Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Tougher criminal penalties for hazing will take effect in Ohio this fall, nearly three years after the death of the college student for whom the legislation is named.
Republican Gov. Mike DeWine on Tuesday signed “Collin’s Law,” named for Collin Wiant, an 18-year-old Ohio University freshman...
State-based efforts
The ANTI-HAZING COALITION at work in Austin, Texas, as legislation was discussed in committee at the Texas State Capitol. The group present included Jud Horras, NIC CEO; Jay Maguire, UT alumnus and volunteer; Deb Debrick, her son Dalton died at Texas Tech; Sylvia and Shawn Cumberland, their son Nicky died at UT - Austin.
The Coalition is pursuing state-based anti-hazing legislation that delivers:
- Beginning with the 2020-2021 academic year, each educational institution shall maintain and publicly report actual findings of violations of the educational institution’s code of conduct or federal or state laws relating to hazing that are reported to campus authorities, local law enforcement, national organizations or any organization formally affiliated with the educational institution.
- Significantly strengthens criminal penalties and encourages prosecution. We wanted both misdemeanor and felony level hazing to be introduced. Included in the felony hazing is an automatic trigger from a specific blood alcohol content (BAC) due to high levels of alcohol consumption. We believe local/national organizations and host institutions should be held accountable for hazing when appropriate.
- There should be penalties for those who fail to seek assistance when an incident arises.
- We believe in some limited immunity for those who wish to report hazing in good faith.
- Calls for university accountability for bad actors. We recognize that each host institution has a different adjudication process. However, no matter what that process is, the host institution should also use their process to investigate individuals as well.
- Provides amnesty to encourage people to call for help.
- Each state shall develop a statewide educational plan for preventing hazing at education institutions. This includes secondary and post-secondary institutions.
- Each Department of Education shall establish a “State Anti-Hazing Fund” to collect any fines incurred from this disciplinary sections of this law. That money shall be used for grants to secondary and post-secondary schools for educational purposes.
Model State Legislation
Our coalition worked with prosecutors, legislators and parents to develop this model state legislation.