House Passes Thompson-Championed Anti-Hazing Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed H.R. 5646, the Stop Campus Hazing Act, which includes many anti-hazing provisions long championed by U.S. Representative Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA).

This bill was shaped by the efforts of Evelyn and Jim Piazza, whose son, Tim Piazza, tragically passed away in February 2017 at Penn State as a direct result of a hazing ritual at his fraternity.

September 25 would have been Tim's 27th birthday.

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.

Rep. Thompson with Evelyn and Jim Piazza, parents of Tim Piazza.

"Today's overwhelming passage of H.R. 5646 reaffirms Congress' commitment to protect students on college campuses across the country," Rep. Thompson 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."

“Our son Tim would have turned 27 tomorrow, September 25, 2024," Evelyn and Jim Piazza said. "Sadly, we do not get to celebrate his birthday with him, but we feel he may have given us a wink from above with today’s vote. We are thrilled to see the House passage of the Stop Campus Hazing Act on this day and appreciate Rep. Thompson’s continued and unwavering support of federal anti-hazing legislation. Over the last several years, our family, along with other families from the Anti-Hazing Coalition, has been determined to bring this bill forward, and we are now one step closer. Tim’s death due to fraternity hazing at Penn State is something no family should have to experience. Through this important legislation, students and their families will have the much-needed transparency by universities to make informed decisions about which student organizations to join.”

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 Stop Campus Hazing Act awaits action in the Senate.

Background: 

• Rep. Thompson has continuously advocated for student safety on campuses during his time in Congress.
• He led efforts in 2017 at the Education and the Workforce Committee to ensure institutions have clear policies prohibiting hazing, require institutions receiving federal funding to disclose policies related to hazing, and educate student organizations about the dangers of hazing.
• In 2019, Rep. Thompson introduced the End All Hazing Act, which worked to prevent hazing incidents by ensuring increased campus-wide transparency and accountability for all student organizations.
• Earlier this month, Rep Thompson led the effort to advance H.R. 5646 through the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
• Today's passage of H.R. 5646 includes provisions from the End All Hazing Act. 

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