OLYMPIA, Wash. — A bill that would strengthen anti-hazing laws in Washington state is close to making it to Gov. Jay Inslee's desk for final approval.
The "Sam Martinez Stop Hazing Law," or House Bill 1002, was passed by the Senate Thursday afternoon. The bill increases penalties for the most serious types of hazing from a misdemeanor to a felony.
Sam Martinez of Bellevue died in 2019 after a night of hazing at a fraternity at Washington State University. A total of 15 fraternity members were charged with misdemeanors for supplying alcohol to a minor.
Since then, Martinez' parents have pushed lawmakers to strengthen hazing laws.
The "Sam Martinez Stop Hazing Law" would make hazing a gross misdemeanor, instead of a lower-level misdemeanor. In incidents where someone is killed or suffers “substantial bodily harm,” hazing could be charged as a felony.
The bill passed unanimously off the floor of the House on March 1.