HCSHB234--THEOFFENSEOFHAZING
SPONSOR: Gallick
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonGeneralLawsbyavoteof10to0.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
234.
Thisbillprovidesthattheoffenseofhazingshallbeknownas
"Danny'sLaw"andprovidesthatapersonshallbefoundguiltyof
theoffenseofhazingifapersonknowingly,actively,andnot
underduressparticipatesin,solicitsanotherpersonto
participatein,orcausesorplansawillfulactthatendangersa
studentorcertainmembersoforganizationsunderthesanctionofa
publicorprivatecollegeoruniversity.
Thisbillprovidesthatapersonwillnotbeguiltyoftheoffense
ofhazingifthepersonestablishesthatheorshe:
(1)Waspresentattheeventwherehazingoccurredandaperson
wasinneedofimmediatemedicalassistance;
(2)Wasthefirstpersontocall911orcampussecuritytoreport
theneedformedicalattention;
(3)Providedtherelevantinformationtothe911operatoror
campussecurity;and
(4)Remainedatthesceneuntilmedicalassistancearrivedand
cooperatedwithsuchassistance.
Additionally,thisbillprovidesthatapersonisimmunefrom
prosecutionifthepersoncanestablishheorsherenderedaidto
thehazingvictimbeforeassistancearrived.
ThisbillisthesameasSS#2SB167(2025),andsimilartoHCSHB
1443(2024)andHB240(2023).
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthesemeasureswillsavelivesby
seekingtoeliminatehazingritualsandthecurrentsocial
acceptancearoundthem.Thisbillfurtherseekstoprotectthose peoplewhowanttohelpthevictimofahazingincident,butwho
mightnotofferassistanceforfearofbeingblamed.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Gallick;Tom
Santulli;StevenMccartan;ArnieC.Dienoff.
OPPONENTS: Therewasnooppositionvoicedtothecommittee.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.