Senate Votes To Increase Penalty For Hazing

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- Maryland's Senate has agreed to boost the penalty for college hazing from $500 to $5,000. The bill is now headed to the Senate.

It passed 46-0 Wednesday morning.

Sen. Jamie Raskin, D-Montgomery, said universities had requested the stiffer penalty. Salisbury University suspended a fraternity chapter for allegations of severe hazing in 2012.

Under Maryland law, hazing involves any practice of exposing a person to serious bodily injury as part of initiation to a group. It doesn't restrict the application to fraternities and sororities.

Offenders can also be convicted of a misdemeanor. This does not change under Raskin's bill.

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