Penn State Hazing Frat Death Sparks Tougher Legislation Elsewhere

PENNSYLVANIA — After the hazing death of Penn State student Timothy Piazza led to tougher new laws in Pennsylvania, other states are following suit.

New Jersey became the latest state to pass legislation in honor of the 19-year-old sophomore, who died following a fraternity ritual in 2017 where he was fell down steps and was left unconscious, in need of medical attention, while frat brothers did nothing.

>>Penn State Frat House Death: Fast Drinking, Slow Death, Frantic Coverup In Grand Jury Timeline

The new law requires all middle schools, high schools, colleges, and universities to adopt anti-hazing policies and penalties. Piazza's parents, Jim and Evelyn, praised the law's stringency: next to Pennsylvania, New Jersey's new law stands as one of the strongest of its kind.

Since Timothy's death, "we, along with other parents of hazing victims, have worked to eradicate hazing on college campuses," they said. "This law will be the stiffest in the country and will hopefully deter this bad behavior and hold those accountable who choose to put someone's well-being and/or life at risk as part of an initiation ritual."

In addition to requiring schools adopt specific policies, the New Jersey law upgrades hazing which results in death or serious injury from a fourth-degree to a third-degree crime.

“Our greatest hope is that we never have to prosecute someone under this new law, and that we’re able to stamp out illegal hazing through the deterrent effect alone,” New Jersey's Acting Attorney General Andrew J. Bruck said in a statement Tuesday. “But should it become necessary, we will not hesitate to use the enhanced tools."

The Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing reports no convictions under the third-degree misdemeanor anti-hazing statute during the last decade that have resulted in anything more than probation, according to the Pennsylvania bill's sponsor, Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman (R-34). That bill was signed into law in 2018.

The National Study of Student Hazing reports that 55 percent of college students involved in clubs, teams, and organizations experience hazing, information from the state says.

In addition to expanding the avenues available to law enforcement, the laws aim to foster a preventative environment. "It provides safe harbor provisions so those who are nearby can help by calling for assistance for someone who may be in distress," Corman said.

Piazza's death resulted in charges against more than a dozen of the brothers, resulting in numerous convictions.

Following the tragedy, Piazza's family launched The Timothy J. Piazza Memorial Foundation, which raises money for children in need of prosthetic devices. Piazza's career ambition was develop state-of-the-art prosthetic devices, his family explains on a GoFundMe page for the foundation.

With reporting from Patch correspondent Kara Seymour