North Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Carolina Senate Bill S375 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
2	2		SESSION 2025
3		-	S 1
4		-	SENATE BILL 375
	3	+	S D
	4	+	SENATE BILL DRS35157-ML-41
	5	+
5	6
6	7
7	8		Short Title: Amend Hazing Laws. (Public)
8	9		Sponsors: Senators Galey, Barnes, and Overcash (Primary Sponsors).
9		-	Referred to: ~~Rules and Operations of the Senate~~
10		-	~~March 24, 2025~~
11		-	~~S375 -v-1~~
	10	+	Referred to:
	11	+
	12	+	DRS35157 -ML-41
12	13		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
13	14		AN ACT TO REVISE THE CRIMINAL OFFENSE OF HAZING AND TO REQUIRE 2
14	15		EDUCATION ENTITIES TO ESTABLISH POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO 3
15	16		PREVENT HAZING. 4
16	17		The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5
17	18		6
18	19		PART I. REVISE CRIMINAL OFFENSE OF HAZING 7
19	20		SECTION 1.(a) G.S. 14-35 is repealed. 8
20	21		SECTION 1.(b) Article 9 of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes is amended by 9
21	22		adding a new section to read: 10
22	23		"§ 14-35.1. Hazing. 11
23	24		(a) Definitions. – The following definitions apply in this section: 12
24	25		(1) Alcoholic beverage. – As defined in G.S. 18B-101. 13
25	26		(2) Controlled substance. – As defined in G.S. 90-87. 14
26	27		(3) Educational institution. – A secondary educational institution or 15
27	28		postsecondary educational institution. 16
28	29		(4) Hazing. – Any intentional, knowing, or reckless act committed by a person, 17
29	30		whether individually or in concert with other persons, against a minor or 18
30	31		student of an educational institution, whether or not committed on the 19
31	32		education institution's campus or property, for the purpose of recruiting, 20
32	33		joining, pledging, initiating, admitting, affiliating with, or for the purpose of 21
33	34		continuing or enhancing status in an organization, that causes, coerces, or 22
34	35		forces a minor or student to do any of the following: 23
35	36		a. Violate State or federal law. 24
36	37		b. Consume any food, liquid, alcoholic beverage, controlled substance, 25
37	38		or other substance in any non-customary manner which subjects the 26
38	39		minor or student to a substantial risk of emotional or physical harm, 27
39	40		including sickness, vomiting, intoxication, or unconsciousness. 28
40	41		c. Endure brutality of a physical nature, including whipping, beating, 29
41	42		paddling, branding, dangerous physical activity, or exposure to the 30
42	43		elements, or to endure threats of such conduct, that results in medically 31
43	44		verifiable mental or physical harm. 32
44	45		d. Endure brutality of a mental nature, including activity adversely 33
45	46		affecting the mental health or dignity of the individual, sleep 34
46		-	deprivation, exclusion from social contact, conduct that could result in 35 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
47		-	Page 2 Senate Bill 375-First Edition
	47	+	deprivation, exclusion from social contact, conduct that could result in 35
	48	+	FILED SENATE
	49	+	Mar 20, 2025
	50	+	S.B. 375
	51	+	PRINCIPAL CLERK General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
	52	+	Page 2 DRS35157-ML-41
48	53		extreme embarrassment or to endure threats of such conduct that 1
49	54		results in medically verifiable mental or physical harm. 2
50	55		e. Endure any other activity which adversely affects the health and safety 3
51	56		of the individual. 4
52	57		(5) Local affiliate organization. – An organization that is chartered or recognized 5
53	58		by a national organization and may include students or non-students. 6
54	59		(6) Local organization. – An organization that is not chartered nor recognized by 7
55	60		a national organization. 8
56	61		(7) Minor. – A person who is less than 18 years of age. 9
57	62		(8) National organization. – An organization that is separate from a local affiliate 10
58	63		organization and may charter or recognize local affiliate organizations at 11
59	64		multiple educational institutions. 12
60	65		(9) Organization. – A club, association, corporation, order, society, corps, private 13
61	66		club, fraternity, sorority, varsity or club athletic team, or a social, service, or 14
62	67		similar group, whose members are primarily students or alumni of one or more 15
63	68		educational institutions. 16
64	69		(10) Postsecondary educational institution. – Any of the following: 17
65	70		a. An institution, as defined in G.S. 116-15, undertaking or conducting 18
66	71		postsecondary degree activity in this State. 19
67	72		b. A constituent institution, as defined in G.S. 116-2. 20
68	73		c. A community college, as defined in G.S. 115D-2. 21
69	74		(11) Secondary educational institution. – A public or nonpublic secondary school 22
70	75		operating in this State and serving students in grades nine through 12 or any 23
71	76		combination of those grades. 24
72	77		(12) Serious bodily injury. – As defined in G.S. 14-32.4. This term includes 25
73	78		incapacitation as a result of consumption of alcohol that results in a minor or 26
74	79		student requiring emergency medical attention or having a blood alcohol 27
75	80		concentration of 0.25 or greater. 28
76	81		(13) Student. – Any person who is registered in or in attendance at an educational 29
77	82		institution or who has been accepted for admission at the educational 30
78	83		institution at which the hazing occurs. 31
79	84		(b) Personal Offense. – A person commits an offense under this subsection if the person 32
80	85		requested, authorized, commanded, encouraged, or participated in hazing, or knowingly aided, 33
81	86		assisted, or conspired with another person to commit hazing. 34
82	87		(c) Organizational Offense. – All of the following are offenses under this subsection: 35
83	88		(1) A local organization or local affiliate organization commits an offense under 36
84	89		this subsection when the elected leadership of the local organization or local 37
85	90		affiliate organization had specific knowledge its member, employee, or 38
86	91		volunteer was participating, aiding, or assisting in any act of hazing a minor 39
87	92		or student and did not attempt to intervene to stop the hazing or report it to the 40
88	93		appropriate local authorities. 41
89	94		(2) A national organization commits an offense under this subsection if an 42
90	95		employee or volunteer of the national organization or member of the national 43
91	96		organization's governing board of directors knowingly directed, supervised, 44
92	97		or actively participated in any act of hazing a minor or student. 45
93	98		(3) A postsecondary educational institution commits an offense under this 46
94	99		subsection if an employee or volunteer of the postsecondary educational 47
95	100		institution or member of the educational institution's governing board of 48
96	101		trustees knowingly directed, supervised, or actively participated in any act of 49
97	102		hazing a minor or student. 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
98		-	~~Senate Bill 375-First Edition~~ Page 3
	103	+	DRS35157-ML-41 Page 3
99	104		(d) Failure to Seek Assistance. – A person who actively directs or engages in an act of 1
100	105		hazing which results in the injury of a minor or student, shall, to the extent that the person can 2
101	106		do so without danger or peril to himself or herself or others, give reasonable assistance to the 3
102	107		injured minor or student. For purposes of this subsection, the term "reasonable assistance" 4
103	108		includes immediately seeking or reporting the need for medical assistance to the local emergency 5
104	109		medical service provider or a 911 system equivalent. 6
105	110		(e) Punishment for Commission of Personal Offense. – Unless the conduct is covered 7
106	111		under some other provision of law providing greater punishment, the following penalties apply 8
107	112		to a violation of subsection (b) of this section: 9
108	113		(1) If commission of the offense results in serious bodily injury or death, a person 10
109	114		is guilty of a Class C felony, which may include a fine of fifteen thousand 11
110	115		dollars ($15,000). 12
111	116		(2) For any other violation of subsection (b) of this section, a person is guilty of 13
112	117		a Class A1 misdemeanor, which shall include a fine of five thousand dollars 14
113	118		($5,000). 15
114	119		(f) Punishment for Commission of Organizational Offense. – A local organization, local 16
115	120		affiliate organization, national organization, or postsecondary educational institution that violates 17
116	121		subsection (c) of this section shall be fined not more than fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000). 18
117	122		(g) Failure to Seek Assistance. – Unless the conduct is covered under some other 19
118	123		provision of law providing greater punishment, the following penalties apply to a violation of 20
119	124		subsection (d) of this section: 21
120	125		(1) A person who fails to seek assistance for an injured minor or student, pursuant 22
121	126		to subsection (d) of this section, where no serious bodily injury or death 23
122	127		occurs, is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor, which may include a fine of not 24
123	128		more than one thousand dollars ($1,000). 25
124	129		(2) A person who fails to seek assistance for an injured minor or student, pursuant 26
125	130		to subsection (d) of this section, where serious bodily injury or death occurs, 27
126	131		is guilty of a Class E felony, which may include a fine of not more than two 28
127	132		thousand dollars ($2,000). 29
128	133		(h) Prohibited Defenses. – Neither of the following are defenses to a prosecution under 30
129	134		this section: 31
130	135		(1) The implied or expressed consent of the minor or student whom the hazing 32
131	136		was directed against. 33
132	137		(2) The argument that the hazing conduct was approved or sanctioned by a local 34
133	138		organization, local affiliate organization, national organization, or educational 35
134	139		institution, or was traditional or customary. 36
135	140		(i) Immunities. – A student, local organization, local affiliate organization, or national 37
136	141		organization who in good faith reports or participates in reporting an allegation of hazing to local 38
137	142		law enforcement or an educational institution in advance of hazing that causes injury to a minor 39
138	143		or student and who takes reasonable steps to prevent hazing in the future shall not be subject to 40
139	144		any civil or criminal liability arising from the reported hazing. A person acting in good faith and 41
140	145		in a timely manner shall be immune from prosecution for the criminal offenses related to hazing 42
141	146		or alcohol possession, consumption, or distribution if all of the following requirements are met: 43
142	147		(1) A law enforcement officer has contact with the person because the person did 44
143	148		any of the following: 45
144	149		a. Requested emergency medical assistance for himself or herself or 46
145	150		another minor or student. 47
146	151		b. Acted in concert with another person who requested emergency 48
147	152		medical assistance. 49
148	153		c. Appeared to be in need of emergency medical assistance and is the 50
149	154		individual for whom the request was made. 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
150		-	Page 4 ~~Senate Bill 375-First Edition~~
	155	+	Page 4 DRS35157-ML-41
151	156		(2) The request was made for a minor or student who reasonably appeared to need 1
152	157		medical assistance due to alcohol consumption or hazing. 2
153	158		(3) The person claiming immunity under this subsection, if physically capable, 3
154	159		did all of the following: 4
155	160		a. Provided his or her own full name if requested by emergency medical 5
156	161		assistance personnel or law enforcement officers. 6
157	162		b. Provided any other relevant information requested by the law 7
158	163		enforcement officer that is known to the person. 8
159	164		c. Remained with, or is, the minor or student who reasonably appeared 9
160	165		to need medical assistance due to alcohol consumption or hazing, until 10
161	166		professional emergency medical assistance was provided. 11
162	167		d. Cooperated with emergency medical assistance personnel and law 12
163	168		enforcement officers." 13
164	169		SECTION 1.(c) This section becomes effective December 1, 2025, and applies to 14
165	170		offenses committed on or after that date. 15
166	171		16
167	172		PART II. REQUIRE EDUCATION ENTITIES TO ESTABLISH POLICIES AND 17
168	173		PROCEDURES TO PREVENT HAZING 18
169	174		SECTION 2.(a) Article 27 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by 19
170	175		adding the following new section to read: 20
171	176		"§ 115C-393. Hazing. 21
172	177		(a) Definition. – For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply: 22
173	178		(1) Hazing. – As defined in G.S. 14-35.1(a)(4). 23
174	179		(2) Local affiliate organization. – As defined in G.S. 14-35.1(a)(6). 24
175	180		(3) National organization. – As defined in G.S. 14-35.1(a)(8). 25
176	181		(4) Organization. – As defined in G.S. 14-35.1(a)(9). 26
177	182		(5) Serious bodily injury. – As defined in G.S. 14-35.1(a)(12). 27
178	183		(b) Investigation. – The governing board of each public school unit that provides 28
179	184		secondary education shall require every school within the public school unit that contains all or 29
180	185		part of grades nine through 12 to investigate all allegations of hazing by students according to 30
181	186		the standard disciplinary processes for that school. A school shall not pursue a hazing 31
182	187		investigation if it determines that the student has immunity under G.S. 14-35.1(i). 32
183	188		(c) Educational Plan. – The Department of Public Instruction, in consultation with the 33
184	189		State Board of Education, the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, and the 34
185	190		State Board of Community Colleges, shall develop an educational plan for public school units to 35
186	191		prevent hazing, including information on hazing awareness, prevention, and intervention. The 36
187	192		plan shall include provisions for public school units to coordinate with national organizations to 37
188	193		provide training to any local affiliate organizations operating in the State. 38
189	194		(d) Educational Program. – Public school units shall provide students with an in-person 39
190	195		or online educational program on hazing that includes the educational plan developed by the 40
191	196		Department and any applicable policies of the public school unit on hazing. All students shall be 41
192	197		required to complete the program within 30 days of enrollment in a school in the unit. A student 42
193	198		shall not be permitted to engage in extracurricular student activities unless the student has 43
194	199		completed the program. 44
195	200		(e) Reporting. – To the extent permitted by federal law, including the federal Family 45
196	201		Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g., each public school unit shall provide 46
197	202		information on all hazing violations committed by organizations as follows: 47
198	203		(1) Each public school unit shall maintain and publish in a prominent location on 48
199	204		its website, no later than 10 days prior to the start of each semester, a record 49
200	205		of all hazing violations committed by organizations from the prior semester, 50
201	206		as follows: 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
202		-	~~Senate Bill 375-First Edition~~ Page 5
	207	+	DRS35157-ML-41 Page 5
203	208		a. The report shall include at least the following information: 1
204	209		1. The name of the organization. 2
205	210		2. The date the organization was charged with hazing. 3
206	211		3. The date the hazing occurred. 4
207	212		4. The date the investigation into the hazing began. 5
208	213		5. A general description of the incident and the related charges, 6
209	214		findings, and punishments. 7
210	215		6. The date the investigation ended. 8
211	216		7. The date of adjudication of the offense. 9
212	217		b. The report shall not include any investigations into hazing that did not 10
213	218		result in a violation. 11
214	219		c. The webpage that contains the hazing records shall include a statement 12
215	220		notifying readers of the availability of additional information related 13
216	221		to the recorded violations, where to find additional information about 14
217	222		the violations, and a citation to this section. 15
218	223		(2) Each public school unit shall provide a printed notice to all students at the 16
219	224		beginning of each school year with information about where to access the 17
220	225		information reported pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection. 18
221	226		(3) All records maintained pursuant to this subsection shall be kept for at least 19
222	227		five years. 20
223	228		(4) Each public school unit shall report any alleged hazing violation involving 21
224	229		serious bodily injury or significant risk of serious bodily injury that was 22
225	230		committed by an organization to local law enforcement within 72 hours of 23
226	231		learning of the alleged violation." 24
227	232		SECTION 2.(b) G.S. 115C-47 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read: 25
228	233		"(70) To Prevent Hazing. – A local board of education shall comply with the 26
229	234		applicable hazing requirements provided in G.S. 115C-393 to prevent 27
230	235		hazing." 28
231	236		SECTION 2.(c) G.S. 115C-150.12C is amended by adding a new subdivision to 29
232	237		read: 30
233	238		"(37) Prevent hazing. – The board of trustees shall comply with the applicable 31
234	239		hazing requirements provided in G.S. 115C-393 to prevent hazing." 32
235	240		SECTION 2.(d) G.S. 115C-218.75 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 33
236	241		"(p) Prevent Hazing. – A charter school shall comply with the applicable hazing 34
237	242		requirements provided in G.S. 115C-393 to prevent hazing." 35
238	243		SECTION 2.(e) G.S. 115C-238.66 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read: 36
239	244		"(23) Prevent hazing. – A regional school shall comply with the applicable hazing 37
240	245		requirements provided in G.S. 115C-393 to prevent hazing." 38
241	246		SECTION 2.(f) G.S. 116-239.8(b) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read: 39
242	247		"(26) Prevent hazing. – A laboratory school shall comply with the applicable hazing 40
243	248		requirements provided in G.S. 115C-393 to prevent hazing." 41
244	249		SECTION 2.(g) Part 3 of Article 1 of Chapter 116 of the General Statutes is amended 42
245	250		by adding the following new section to read: 43
246	251		"§ 116-40.14. Hazing. 44
247	252		(a) Definition. – The following definitions shall apply in this section: 45
248	253		(1) Hazing. – As defined in G.S. 14-35.1(a)(4). 46
249	254		(2) Local affiliate organization. – As defined in G.S. 14-35.1(a)(6). 47
250	255		(3) National organization. – As defined in G.S. 14-35.1(a)(8). 48
251	256		(4) Organization. – As defined in G.S. 14-35.1(a)(9). 49 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
252		-	Page 6 ~~Senate Bill 375-First Edition~~
	257	+	Page 6 DRS35157-ML-41
253	258		(5) Public institution of higher education. – A constituent institution of The 1
254	259		University of North Carolina, as defined in G.S. 116-2(4), that is an institution 2
255	260		of higher education or a community college, as defined in G.S. 115D-2(2). 3
256	261		(6) Serious bodily injury. – As defined in G.S. 14-35.1(a)(12). 4
257	262		(b) Investigation. – Each public institution of higher education shall investigate all 5
258	263		allegations of hazing by students according to the standard disciplinary processes for that 6
259	264		institution. A school shall not pursue a hazing investigation if it determines that the student has 7
260	265		immunity under G.S. 14-35.1(i). 8
261	266		(c) Educational Plan. – The Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, in 9
262	267		consultation with the State Board of Community Colleges, the Department of Public Instruction, 10
263	268		and the State Board of Education, shall develop an educational plan for public institutions of 11
264	269		higher education to prevent hazing, including information on hazing awareness, prevention, and 12
265	270		intervention. The plan shall include provisions for public institutions of higher education to 13
266	271		coordinate with national organizations to provide training to any local affiliate organizations 14
267	272		operating in the State. 15
268	273		(d) Educational Program. – Public institutions of higher education shall provide students 16
269	274		with an in-person or online educational program on hazing that includes the educational plan 17
270	275		developed by the Board of Governors and any applicable policies of the public institution of 18
271	276		higher education on hazing. All students shall be required to complete the program within 30 19
272	277		days of enrollment in the institution. A student shall not be permitted to continue enrollment in 20
273	278		the institution or engage in extracurricular student activities unless the student has completed the 21
274	279		program. 22
275	280		(e) Reporting. – To the extent permitted by federal law, including the federal Family 23
276	281		Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g., each public institution of higher 24
277	282		education shall provide information on all hazing violations committed by organizations as 25
278	283		follows: 26
279	284		(1) Each public institution of higher education shall maintain and publish in a 27
280	285		prominent location on its website, no later than 10 days prior to the start of 28
281	286		each semester, a record of all hazing violations committed by organizations 29
282	287		from the prior semester, as follows: 30
283	288		a. The report shall include at least the following information: 31
284	289		1. The name of the organization. 32
285	290		2. The date the organization was charged with hazing. 33
286	291		3. The date the hazing occurred. 34
287	292		4. The date the investigation into the hazing began. 35
288	293		5. A general description of the incident and the related charges, 36
289	294		findings, and punishments. 37
290	295		6. The date the investigation ended. 38
291	296		7. The date of adjudication of the offense. 39
292	297		b. The report shall not include any investigations into hazing that did not 40
293	298		result in a violation. 41
294	299		c. The webpage that contains the hazing records shall include a statement 42
295	300		notifying readers of the availability of additional information related 43
296	301		to the recorded violations, where to find additional information about 44
297	302		the violations, and a citation to this section. 45
298	303		(2) Each public institution of higher education shall provide a printed notice to all 46
299	304		students at the beginning of each academic year with information about where 47
300	305		to access the information reported pursuant to subdivision (1) of this 48
301	306		subsection. 49
302	307		(3) All records maintained pursuant to this subsection shall be kept for at least 50
303	308		five years. 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
304		-	~~Senate Bill 375-First Edition~~ Page 7
	309	+	DRS35157-ML-41 Page 7
305	310		(4) Each public institution of higher education shall report any alleged hazing 1
306	311		violation involving serious bodily injury or significant risk of serious bodily 2
307	312		injury that was committed by an organization to local law enforcement within 3
308	313		72 hours of learning of the alleged violation." 4
309	314		SECTION 2.(h) G.S. 115D-5 is amended by adding the following new subsection 5
310	315		to read: 6
311	316		"(aa) The State Board shall adopt a policy requiring all community colleges to comply with 7
312	317		the applicable hazing requirements provided in G.S. 116-40.14 to prevent hazing." 8
313	318		SECTION 2.(i) This section applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year and 9
314	319		the 2025-2026 academic year. The Department of Public Instruction and the Board of Governors 10
315	320		of The University of North Carolina shall submit the first report required pursuant to 11
316	321		G.S. 115C-393(e) and G.S. 116-40.14(e), as enacted by this section, on October 15, 2026, based 12
317	322		on data from the spring 2026 semester. 13
318	323		14
319	324		PART III. SAVINGS CLAUSE AND EFFECTIVE DATE 15
320	325		SECTION 3.(a) Prosecutions for offenses committed before the effective date of 16
321	326		this act are not abated or affected by this act, and the statutes that would be applicable but for 17
322	327		this act remain applicable to those prosecutions. 18
323	328		SECTION 3.(b) Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes 19
324	329		law. 20