U.S. House passes anti-hazing bill, family of lost son celebrates

WASHINGTON D.C. (WTAJ) — The U.S. House of Representatives announced the passing of H.R. 5646, the Stop Campus Hazing Act.

The bill, which includes many anti-hazing provisions, was shaped by the efforts of Evelyn and Jim Piazza. Their son, Tim Piazza, passed away in February 2017 at Penn State University as a direct result of a hazing ritual at his fraternity. Sept. 25 would have been Tim’s 27th birthday.

More than seven years after the death of Tim Piazza, two former Penn State students, who were fraternity leaders, pleaded guilty to hazing and reckless endangerment.

Two men, Brendan Young, now 28, and Daniel Casey, now 27, each pleaded guilty in Centre County Court to 14 counts of hazing and a single count of reckless endangerment in July. Young and Casey were the fraternity president and vice president respectively when Tim was one of the 14 pledges at the house that night in February.

Tim was found unresponsive the next morning, and it was discovered that he had consumed large amounts of alcohol and suffered numerous falls. He died days later from injuries sustained during that night.

The Piazza’s advocacy led to the establishment of the “Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research and Reform” at Penn State, whose research helped shape the Stop Campus Hazing Act and led to the enactment of some of the strongest anti-hazing laws anywhere in the country in Pennsylvania.

“Today’s overwhelming passage of H.R. 5646 reaffirms Congress’ commitment to protect students on college campuses across the country,” Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA) said. “This vital legislation will increase transparency and accountability in an effort to ensure that no one will have to experience what the Piazza family has over these past seven years. My prayers go out to Evelyn and Jim Piazza, and I sincerely appreciate their ongoing advocacy and strength.”

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This bipartisan legislation is supported by the National Panhellenic Conference, the North American Interfraternity Conference, the Clery Center, and the Anti-Hazing Coalition. Now the act awaits action in the U.S. Senate.

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