FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) – Senate Bill 9, known as Lofton’s Law, passed the Kentucky House 96-3.
If it becomes law, the bill criminalizes hazing, creating both misdemeanor and felony charges.
Lofton’s Law would increase the penalty for hazing that results in physical harm or death to a class D felony and individuals who engaged in hazing that does not cause physical harm would be charged with a class A misdemeanor. Currently, it’s up to universities and colleges to enact anti-hazing policies.
The legislation is named after Lofton Hazelwood died of alcohol poisoning in 2021 while pledging at the FarmHouse Fraternity at the University of Kentucky. An investigation by Univerity of Kentucky police found no evidence of foul play, or of physical coercion or forced drinking.
Read More:
- Lofton’s Law passes Kentucky Senate with overwhelming support
- UK releases findings of investigations into death of student found unresponsive at fraternity
- UK suspends activities at FarmHouse fraternity after student’s death
- UK suspending activities for all new fraternity members in wake of student’s death
- No charges will be filed after death of UK student found unresponsive at fraternity
The university did release a statement after a review of FarmHouse saying chapter members practiced hazing throughout the semester, “creating a culture of noncompliance in which such activities were accepted.”
Now that the bill has been approved by the Kentucky House it will go back to the Senate so they may approve changes made by the house.
