The Stop Campus Hazing Act Signed into Law by President Biden
The family of Danny Santulli, a former University of Missouri student who was severely injured during a fraternity hazing ritual in 2021, is celebrating the passage of the Stop Campus Hazing Act. The bipartisan bill, introduced by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) and Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), requires universities to report hazing statistics on a yearly basis and make those statistics readily available on their websites. The law also mandates that universities implement anti-hazing programs on campus.
The Stop Campus Hazing Act is the first federal law to address hazing, and it is expected to help prevent future incidents. The law was signed by President Biden in December.
Danny Santulli’s family attorney, David Bianchi, praised the new law, stating that it will “help” and “require universities to implement anti-hazing programs on campus, which is always a good thing.”
Danny Santulli was 19 years old when he was forced to participate in a hazing ritual during which he was made to consume an entire handle of vodka while blindfolded and then left unconscious on a couch. He suffered “massive brain damage” and was left blind, unable to walk, and unable to communicate.
Bianchi believes that the law should also include severe consequences for those who haze others, such as immediate expulsion from the university and fraternity, as well as prosecution. He stated, “If [students] think that they’re just going to get a slap on the wrist if they haze somebody, then they’re not going to change their behavior.”
The Santulli family is also advocating for Danny’s Law, which would give students immunity from hazing felony if they call 911.