Report and Educate About Campus Hazing Act
Bill: H.R.1932 | Sponsor: Rep. McBath, Lucy (D-GA)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Report and Educate About Campus Hazing Act or the REACH Act
This bill requires institutions of higher education (IHEs) that participate in federal student-aid programs to report hazing incidents and distribute policies on hazing.
Specifically, the bill requires each IHE to disclose hazing incidents that were reported to campus security authorities or local police agencies in its annual security report. The bill defines the term hazing to mean any intentional, knowing, or reckless act committed by a student, or a former student, of an IHE against another student (regardless of that student's willingness to participate), that (1) is connected with an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in an organization that is affiliated with the IHE (e.g., an athletic team); and (2) contributes to a substantial risk of physical injury, mental harm, or degradation or causes physical injury, mental harm, or personal degradation.
In addition, each IHE must distribute to enrolled and prospective students its policies on hazing, including information on education programs that promote hazing awareness.

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require institutions of 
 higher education to disclose hazing incidents, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Report and Educate About Campus 
Hazing Act'' or the ``REACH Act''.

SEC. 2. INCLUSION OF HAZING INCIDENTS IN ANNUAL SECURITY REPORTS.

    Section 485(f)(1)(F) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1092(f)(1)(F)) is amended--
            (1) in clause (i)(IX), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (2) in clause (ii), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (3) in clause (iii), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(iv) of hazing incidents that were reported to 
                campus security authorities or local police 
                agencies.''.

SEC. 3. DEFINITION OF HAZING.

    Section 485(f)(6)(A) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1092(f)(6)(A)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating clauses (iii) through (v) as clauses 
        (iv) through (vi), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after clause (ii) the following:
                    ``(iii) The term `hazing' means any intentional, 
                knowing, or reckless act committed by a student, or a 
                former student, of an institution of higher education, 
                whether individually or in concert with other persons, 
                against another student (regardless of that student's 
                willingness to participate), that--
                            ``(I) was committed in connection with an 
                        initiation into, an affiliation with, or the 
                        maintenance of membership in, any organization 
                        that is affiliated with such institution of 
                        higher education (including any athletic team 
                        affiliated with that institution); and
                            ``(II) contributes to a substantial risk of 
                        physical injury, mental harm, or degradation or 
                        causes physical injury, mental harm, or 
                        personal degradation.''.

SEC. 4. RECORDING OF HAZING INCIDENTS.

    Section 485(f)(7) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1092(f)(7)) is amended by inserting after the second sentence the 
following: ``For hazing incidents, such statistics shall be compiled in 
accordance with the definition of that term in paragraph 
(6)(A)(iii).''.

SEC. 5. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM ON HAZING.

    Section 485(f)(8)(B)(i) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1092(f)(8)(B)(i)) is amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding subclause (I), by inserting ``, 
        and hazing'' after ``stalking''; and
            (2) in subclause (I)--
                    (A) in item (aa), by inserting before the semicolon 
                the following: ``, and hazing''; and
                    (B) in item (bb), by inserting before the semicolon 
                the following: ``, and the definition of hazing in 
                paragraph (6)(A)(ii)''; and
                    (C) in item (dd), by inserting ``, or hazing'' 
                after ``stalking''.
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