Universities in Ohio are preparing for a new law that cracks down on hazing by student organizations, such as fraternities and sororities, by making specific violations a felony.
The bill, SB126, revises the definition of hazing in Ohio law to include "coercing another to consume" alcohol or drugs as part of an initiation into a student organization.
If doing so results in serious physical harm then offenders can face up to a third degree felony.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who signed SB126 into law on Tuesday, said preventing hazing is about changing the culture within the organizations that commit the offense.
"And for decades the culture of hazing has been accepted as something that is tolerated," DeWine said. "This bill says that going forward hazing in the state of Ohio is simply not tolerated."
The bill is named "Collin's Law" in honor of Dublin residentCollin Wiant, who died as an Ohio University freshman in November 2018 after collapsing at an off-campus house. A toxicology report showed Collin died of asphyxiation caused by nitrous oxide ingestion.
Seven people have been convicted or have pleaded guilty to charges in connection to Wiant's death including charges of hazing and drug possession.
The families of Collin Wiant and Stone Foltz were at the Statehouse for the bill signing.
Foltz who was from Delaware, also died after an alleged hazing activity at Bowling Green State University in March. Six people have been indicted by a grand jury on felony manslaughter charges while two others face hazing charges.
Kathleen Wiant, Collin's mother, said her son would be happy to know there's a law in his name created to protect others.
"I just can't stop thinking about what brought us here was having Collin taken from us and all the pain that comes from that and that, no matter what we do, even with all this work, nothing can bring him back which is so hard and so painful," Kathleen Wiant said. "But we also know that this really is going to save lives and if we can spare another family from going through this, I would do anything to spare another family from this."
The bill calls on the Ohio Department of Higher Education to create a statewide anti-hazing policy for colleges and universities to follow, with schools required to adopt their own specific anti-hazing policy as well.
The law states that colleges and universities must compile a report of all violations of the institution's anti-hazing policy and make that report available to the public.
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