Gov. Phil Murphy signed a new law on Tuesday with stiffer criminal charges for anyone accused of hazing in New Jersey. The Timothy J. Piazza Law upgrades hazing crimes from a disorderly persons offense to a fourth-degree crime if it causes bodily harm. A person facing aggravated hazing charges would instead face a third-degree crime. Under the legislation, hazing is now listed as including, but not limited to, causing, coercing or forcing someone to consume alcohol or drugs.
The law was named after Timothy Piazza, a Readington Township native who died in February 2017 after falling down a flight of stairs at a Penn State fraternity house during a hazing initiation.
“Do not overlook behaviors because you think it was all in good fun, or use the ‘boys will be boys’ mentality,” said Evelyn Piazza, Timothy’s mother. “Hazing is always done with the intent to cause harm… Protect our children, hold people accountable and deter the dangerous practice of hazing.”
