Louisiana Pushes for Mandatory Anti-Hazing Education with ‘Caleb Wilson Act’

BATON ROUGE (KPEL) - The tragic death of 20-year-old Caleb Wilson, a Southern University student, during an off-campus hazing ritual has reignited the local community's drive to put a stop to preventable deaths like Wilson's.

Read More: 1 Arrested, 2 Expected to Face Charges in Southern Hazing Death

The investigation, which began after Wilson was pronounced dead at Baton Rouge General Hospital on February 27th, has also caught the attention of State legislators in Louisiana.

Read More: New Details Emerge in Southern University Student’s Death 

A new Louisiana law could make an Anti-Hazing education course mandatory for all college students.

Louisiana Pushes for Anti-Hazing Education with 'Caleb Wilson Act'

House Bill 279, The Caleb Wilson Act, would make a one-credit-hour anti-hazing education course mandatory for college students.

Rep. Delisha Boyd filed the Caleb Wilson Act in hopes of preventing hazing tragedies from happening on or off college campuses across the state of Louisiana.

The proposed law would go into effect this fall and would specifically apply to college students who join any on campus organization whether that be a fraternity, sorority, sports team, dance team, spirit group, or club.

Students who join any of the listed groups would be required to complete a one-hour course before their third semester. Additionally, legal guardians of underage college students will also receive the course materials.

Other Louisiana Laws Focused on Preventing Hazing

In 2018, the Max Gruver Act was passed in Louisiana, making hazing a felony.

This already existing law aims to punish individuals through jail time and heavy fines for participating in the following hazing activities:

• Physical abuse
• Forcing extreme physical activity such as sleep deprivation, exposure to harsh conditions
• Making someone consume alcohol, drugs, excessive food or liquid of any kind
• Forcing someone to commit a crime

With the proposed Caleb Wilson Act, students would be properly educated on the seriousness and dangers of hazing while also understanding the severity of the fines and jail time they could potentially face through the Max Gruver Act.