Panel passes bill that would make hazing a felony in Kentucky

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WKYT) - The Kentucky Senate Judiciary Committee passed a bill that would make hazing, in some instances, a felony in the Commonwealth.

The bill would make hazing a felony in Kentucky.

The bill’s sponsor, Senator Robert Mills, R-Henderson, says Senate Bill 9 would make “hazing in the first degree” a Class D felony if a defendant intentionally engaged in an act of hazing that results in serious injury or death to a minor or student.

The act would be referred to as “Lofton’s Law” for Thomas Hazelwood, a UK student who passed away in 2021 from alcohol toxicity.

This past October, Lofton’s family testified about hazing prevention, saying the hazing process started for him as soon as he received his bid at the Farmhouse fraternity.

The bill will thoroughly and clearly define hazing. They say they want Kentucky to value student safety.

“Hazing is a specific form of abuse that is not adequately covered in Kentucky,” said Tracey Hazelwood. “Everything is up to the universities. Only 13 states that actually have a law.”

Hazelwood says she wants this law to have people to be held accountable and for no parent to ever go through that pain.

Many committee members say they look forward to working on this bill moving forward. The bill now moves to the full Senate.

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