Georgia Senate supports tougher penalties for college hazing
The Georgia Senate Thursday approved a measure that would increase prison time for anyone convicted of being involved in the hazing death or serious injury of a college student.
Under Senate Bill 423, anyone involved in such hazing that results in the death or serious harm of a student could get as much as 10 years in prison. Anyone who fails to help the student could get up to five years in prison.
Under current state law, hazing – the submission of a student to an activity that is likely to endanger them – is a misdemeanor that carries a penalty of up to a year in prison. SB 423 makes some hazing crimes a felony.
SB 423 is also known as the Max Gruver Act – named for a Roswell native who died in a hazing incident at Louisiana State University in 2017.
The measure passed by a vote of 52 to 0.
About the Author
David Wickert writes about the state budget, finance and voting issues. Previously, he covered local government and politics in Gwinnett and Fulton counties. Before moving to Atlanta, he worked at newspapers in Illinois, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington.
