Harry Lew Military Hazing Accountability and Prevention Act

To reform the Department of Defense approach to preventing, responding to, and reporting incidents of hazing in the Armed Forces. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Harry Lew Military Hazing Accountability and Prevention Act 2. Improved Department of Defense prevention of and response to hazing in the Armed Forces (a) Anti-Hazing Database The Secretary of Defense shall provide for the establishment and use of a comprehensive and consistent data-collection system for the collection of reports, including anonymous reports, of incidents of hazing involving a member of the Armed Forces. The Secretary shall issue department-wide guidance regarding the availability and use of the database, including information on protected classes, such as race and religion, who are often the victims of hazing. (b) Improved training The Secretary of each military department, in consultation with the Chief of Staff of each Armed Force under the jurisdiction of such Secretary, shall seek to improve training to assist members of the Armed Forces to better recognize, prevent, and respond to hazing at all command levels. (c) Annual Survey The Secretary of each military department, in consultation with the Chief of Staff of each Armed Force under the jurisdiction of such Secretary, shall conduct an annual survey among members of each Armed Force under the jurisdiction of such Secretary to determine the following: (1) The prevalence of hazing in the Armed Force. (2) The effectiveness of training provided members of the Armed Force to recognize and prevent hazing. (3) The extent to which members of the Armed Force report, including anonymously report, incidents of hazing. (d) Annual reports on hazing (1) Report required Not later than January 31 of each year through January 31, 2021, the Secretary of each military department, in consultation with the Chief of Staff of each Armed Force under the jurisdiction of such Secretary, shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report containing a description of efforts during the previous year— (A) to prevent and to respond to incidents of hazing involving members of the Armed Forces; (B) to track and encourage reporting, including reporting anonymously, incidents of hazing in the Armed Force; and (C) to ensure the consistent implementation of anti-hazing policies. (2) Additional Elements Each report required by this subsection also shall address the same elements originally addressed in the anti-hazing reports required by section 534 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 ( Public Law 112–239

Summary: Harry Lew Military Hazing Accountability and Prevention Act This bill directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to: (1) establish a data-collection system for reports, including anonymous reports, of hazing incidents involving a member of the Armed Forces; and (2) issue DOD-wide guidance regarding database availability and use, including information on protected classes such as race and religion. Each military department shall: (1) improve service member training to better recognize, prevent, and respond to hazing at all command levels; and (2) conduct an annual hazing survey, which shall include the extent to which service members report hazing and the effectiveness of anti-hazing training.