President Joe Biden signs Stop Campus Hazing Act into law

The family of a former Penn State student is applauding the first-of-its-kind federal anti-hazing law.

President Joe Biden signed the Stop Campus Hazing Act into law on Monday.

The bill looks to prevent hazing on college campuses and build transparency around incidents.

This legislation is the change the Piazza family has been fighting for since the death of their son, Timothy.

>>> Parents react to House passing bill to stop hazing culture on college campuses nationwide

Tim died back in 2017 at the age of 19 after a hazing incident at a fraternity party at Penn State University. Security camera footage captured fraternity members giving Piazza 18 alcoholic drinks in less than 90 minutes. He then fell down the stairs, injured himself and died less than two days later.

“There are serious repercussions for hazing and that you can’t just blame the system. Individuals are the ones that have action,” said Evelyn Piazza, Tim’s mom.

The new law defines hazing as any “intentional, knowing, or reckless act” committed against the student, regardless of whether the student is a willing participant. It extends outside of Greek life, including any athletic team or club. It also requires universities to report hazing incidents, create a consistent definition for hazing statistics, and provide hazing prevention programs for students and faculty.

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