Missouri 2025 2025 Regular Session

Missouri House Bill HB234 Introduced / Bill

Filed 12/02/2024

                    FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSEBILLNO.234
103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVEGALLICK.
0937H.01I	DANARADEMANMILLER,ChiefClerk
ANACT
Torepealsection578.365,RSMo,andtoenactinlieuthereofonenewsectionrelatingtothe
offenseofhazing,withpenaltyprovisions.
BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
SectionA.Section578.365,RSMo,isrepealedandonenewsectionenactedinlieu
2thereof,tobeknownassection578.365,toreadasfollows:
578.365.1.Apersoncommitstheoffenseofhazingifheorsheknowingly
2participatesin,solicitsanotherpersontoparticipatein,orcausesorplansawillfulact,
3occurringonoroffthecampusofapublicorprivatecollegeoruniversity,directedagainsta
4student[or],aprospectivemember, oraformermemberofanorganizationoperatingunder
5thesanctionofapublicorprivatecollegeoruniversity,thatrecklesslyendangersthemental
6orphysicalhealthorsafetyofastudent[or],prospectivemember, orformermemberforthe
7purposeofinitiationoradmissionintoorcontinuedmembershipinanysuchorganizationto
8theextentthatsuchpersonisknowinglyplacedatprobableriskofthelossoflifeorprobable
9bodilyorpsychologicalharm.Actsofhazinginclude:
10 (1)Anyactivitywhichrecklesslyendangersthephysicalhealthorsafetyofthe
11student[or],prospectivemember, orformermember, includingbutnotlimitedtophysical
12brutality,whipping,beating,branding,exposuretotheelements,forcedconsumptionofany
13food,liquor,drugorothersubstance,orforcedsmokingorchewingoftobaccoproducts;
14 (2)Anyactivitywhichrecklesslyendangersthementalhealthofthestudent[or],
15prospectivemember, orformermember, includingbutnotlimitedtosleepdeprivation,
16physicalconfinement,orotherextremestress-inducingactivity;or
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 17 (3)Anyactivitythatrequiresthestudent[or],prospectivemember, orformer
18membertoperformadutyortaskwhichinvolvesaviolationofthecriminallawsofthisstate
19oranypoliticalsubdivisioninthisstate.
20 2.Publicorprivatecollegesoruniversitiesinthisstateshalladoptawrittenpolicy
21prohibitinghazingbyanyorganizationoperatingunderthesanctionoftheinstitution.
22 3.Nothinginthissectionshallbeinterpretedascreatinganewprivatecauseofaction
23againstanyeducationalinstitution.
24 4.Consentisnotadefensetohazing.Section565.010doesnotapplytohazingcases
25ortohomicidecasesarisingoutofhazingactivity.
26 5.TheoffenseofhazingisaclassAmisdemeanor,unlesstheactcreatesasubstantial
27risktothelifeofthestudent[or],prospectivemember, orformermember, inwhichcaseit
28isaclassDfelony.
29 6.Apersonshallnotbeguiltyoftheoffenseofhazingifthepersonestablishesall
30ofthefollowing:
31 (1)Thatheorshewaspresentataneventwhere,asaresultofhazing,aperson
32appearedtobeinneedofimmediatemedicalassistance;
33 (2)Thatheorshewasthefirstpersontocall911orcampussecuritytoreport
34theneedforimmediatemedicalassistance;
35 (3)Thatheorsheprovidedhisorherownname,theaddresswhereimmediate
36medicalassistancewasneeded,andadescriptionofthemedicalissuetothe911operator
37orcampussecurityatthetimeofthecall;and
38 (4)Thatheorsheremainedatthescenewiththepersoninneedofimmediate
39medicalassistanceuntilmedicalassistance,lawenforcement,orcampussecurity
40arrivedandthatheorshecooperatedwithsuchpersonnelonthescene.
41 7.Notwithstandingsubsection6ofthissection,apersonshallbeimmunefrom
42prosecutionunderthissectionifthepersonestablishesthatthepersonrenderedaidto
43thehazingvictimbeforemedicalassistance,lawenforcement,orcampussecurity
44arrivedonthesceneofthehazingevent.Forpurposesofthissubsection,"aid"
45includes,butisnotlimitedto,renderingcardiopulmonaryresuscitationtothevictim,
46clearinganairwayforthevictimtobreathe,usingadefibrillatortoassistthevictim,or
47renderinganyotherassistancetothevictimthatthepersonintendedingoodfaithto
48stabilizeorimprovethevictim'sconditionwhilewaitingformedicalassistance,law
49enforcement,orcampussecuritytoarrive.
âś”
HB234	2