Arrest Reports and Laws

Hazing.


(1) A student organization or a member of a student organization commits the offense of hazing if, as a condition or precondition of attaining membership in the organization or of attaining any office or status in the organization, the organization or member intentionally hazes any member, potential member or person pledged to be a member of the organization.
(2)(a) A student organization that violates subsection (1) of this section commits a Class A violation.
(b) A member of a student organization who personally violates subsection (1) of this section commits a Class B violation.
(3) Consent of the person who is hazed is not a defense in a prosecution under this section.
(4) As used in this section:
(a) Haze means:
(A) To subject an individual to whipping, beating, striking, branding or electronic shocking, to place a harmful substance on an individual’s body or to subject an individual to other similar forms of physical brutality;
(B) To subject an individual to sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space or other similar activity that subjects the individual to an unreasonable risk of harm or adversely affects the physical health or safety of the individual;
(C) To compel an individual to consume food, liquid, alcohol, controlled substances or other substances that subject the individual to an unreasonable risk of harm or adversely affect the physical health or safety of the individual; or
(D) To induce, cause or require an individual to perform a duty or task that involves the commission of a crime or an act of hazing.
(b) Member includes volunteers, coaches and faculty advisers of a student organization.
(c) Student organization means a fraternity, sorority, athletic team or other organization that is organized or operating on a college, university or elementary or secondary school campus for the purpose of providing members an opportunity to participate in student activities of the college, university or elementary or secondary school. [1983 c.202 §2; 1999 c.1051 §152; 2009 c.493 §1]