BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) – Hazing that kills someone is closer to becoming a felony crime in Louisiana as a proposal to strengthen the penalty sailed through the state House.
Rep. Nancy Landry’s bill was backed 87-0 Monday, followed by a round of applause.
The Lafayette Republican’s proposal would make hazing that kills someone punishable by up to five years in prison. State law currently treats hazing as a misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of up to 30 days in jail.
Landry’s bill is supported by parents of 18-year-old Louisiana State University freshman Maxwell Gruver. He died in September with a blood-alcohol limit six times higher than the legal limit for driving after an alleged hazing ritual.
Four people were charged in Gruver’s death.
The bill heads to the Senate.