HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3637        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 678

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Alice Hanlon Peisch

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to hazing prevention for student athletes.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3637        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 678

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

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An Act relative to hazing prevention for student athletes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after Section 47A the following section:-

Section 47B. (a) Each public high school shall provide a hazing training program for student athletes in which all public schools and any school subject to the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association rules shall participate; provided, that such training program shall be administered directly by the school or by an agency or organization approved by the department. Participation in the program shall be required for all students participating in an extracurricular athletic activity prior to the commencement of their athletic season.

The program shall include, but not be limited to: 

(1) providing student athletes with the definition of hazing and a description of the types of behavior that can be considered hazing, as outlined under section 17 of chapter 269, pursuant to section 19 of chapter 269; 

(2) providing student athletes with a description of their responsibility to report hazing as outlined under section 18 of chapter 269, pursuant to section 19 of chapter 269; 

(3) providing student athletes with a description of the legal penalties associated with hazing and failure to report hazing pursuant to sections 17 through 19 of chapter 269; 

(4) providing student athletes with a description of possible school-level disciplinary proceedings associated with hazing, as outlined in the district or school’s student handbook and policies; and 

(5) providing student athletes with a description of the negative impact on: (i) the person being hazed, including physical, social, and emotional harm; (ii) those who haze; and (iii) the school, organization, or team, including potential forfeiture of games and civil damages.

(b)  The department shall develop forms on which students shall indicate in writing that they received and understood the hazing training. These forms shall require the signature of both the student and the parent or legal guardian thereof.  Once complete, the forms shall be forwarded to all coaches prior to allowing any student to participate in an extracurricular athletic activity.

(c) The superintendent of the school district or the director of a school shall maintain complete and accurate records of the district’s or school’s compliance with the requirements of this section. Each district shall file, with the report required under section 19 of chapter 269, an additional statement with the department, certifying that the district has complied with the above provisions. A school that fails to comply with this section, as determined by the department, shall be subject to penalties determined by the department. 

(d) The department shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement this program.

(e) The provisions in this section are to be construed in conjunction with section 19 of chapter 269. Nothing in this section shall be construed as precluding or limiting the provisions contained in section 19 of chapter 269.