Part I.

Repeals GS 14-35, which made it a Class 2 misdemeanor for a student attending a university, college, or school in this state to engage in hazing, or to aid or abet any other student in the commission of this offense; defines hazing as subjecting another student to physical injury as part of an initiation, or as a prerequisite to membership, into any organized school group, including any society, athletic team, fraternity or sorority, or other similar group.

Instead, enacts new GS 35.1 to prohibit hazing as follows. Defines hazing as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act committed by a person, whether individually or in concert with other persons, against a minor or student of an educational institution (secondary or postsecondary educational institution), whether or not committed on the education institution's campus or property, for the purpose of recruiting, joining, pledging, initiating, admitting, affiliating with, or for the purpose of continuing or enhancing status in an organization, that causes, coerces, or forces a minor or student to do any of the following: a. violate State or federal law; b. consume any food, liquid, alcoholic beverage, controlled substance, or other substance in any non-customary manner which subjects the minor or student to a substantial risk of emotional or physical harm, including sickness, vomiting, intoxication, or unconsciousness; c. endure brutality of a physical nature, including whipping, beating, paddling, branding, dangerous physical activity, or exposure to the elements, or to endure threats of such conduct, that results in medically verifiable mental or physical harm; d. endure brutality of a mental nature, including activity adversely affecting the mental health or dignity of the individual, sleep deprivation, exclusion from social contact, conduct that could result in extreme embarrassment or to endure threats of such conduct that results in medically verifiable mental or physical harm; or e. endure any other activity which adversely affects the health and safety of the individual. Also defines alcoholic beverage, controlled substance, local affiliate organization, local organization, minor, national organization, organization, postsecondary educational institution, secondary educational institution, serious bodily injury, and student.

Specifies that a person commits an offense if the person requested, authorized, commanded, encouraged, or participated in hazing, or knowingly aided, assisted, or conspired with another person to commit hazing. Sets out the following penalties, unless the conduct is covered by another law providing greater punishment: (1) Class C felony, which may include a fine of $15,000, if the offense results in serious bodily injury or death or (2) Class A1 misdemeanor, including a fine of $5,000, for any other violation.

Specifies the following offenses: (1) a local organization or local affiliate organization commits an offense when the elected leadership of the local organization or local affiliate organization had specific knowledge its member, employee, or volunteer was participating, aiding, or assisting in any act of hazing a minor or student and did not attempt to intervene to stop the hazing or report it to the appropriate local authorities; (2) a national organization commits an offense if an employee or volunteer of the national organization or member of the national organization's governing board of directors knowingly directed, supervised, or actively participated in any act of hazing a minor or student; and (3) a postsecondary educational institution commits an offense if an employee or volunteer of the postsecondary educational institution or member of the educational institution's governing board of trustees knowingly directed, supervised, or actively participated in any act of hazing a minor or student. Violations are punishable by a fine of no more than $15,000.

Requires a person who actively directs or engages in hazing that injures a minor or student to give the injured person reasonable assistance, to the extent it can be done without danger or peril to himself or others.

Sets out the following penalties, unless the conduct is covered by another law providing greater punishment: (1) Class C felony, which may include a fine of $15,000, if the offense results in serious bodily injury or death or (2) Class A1 misdemeanor, including a fine of $5,000, for any other violation. Violations are punishable as follows, unless another law provides for greater punishment: (1) Class 2 misdemeanor, which may include a fine of no more than $1,000 when no serious bodily injury or death occurs and (2) Class E felony, which may include a fine of no more than $2,000, when serious bodily injury or death occurs.

Specifies that the consent of the person whom the hazing was directed against, and the argument that hazing was approved or sanctioned by the relevant organization, or was traditional or customary, are not defenses to prosecution.

Sets out conditions under which immunity from prosecution may apply for acting or reporting in good faith.

Applies to offenses committed on or after December 1, 2025.

Part II.

Enacts new GS 115C-393 requiring governing boards of public school units providing secondary education to require every school containing all or parts of grades 9-12 to investigate all allegations of hazing by students according to that school’s disciplinary process. Requires the Department of Public Instruction, in consultation with the State Board of Education, UNC Board of Governors, and State Board of Community Colleges, to develop an educational plan for public schools to prevent hazing, including information on awareness, prevention, and intervention; requires provisions for schools to coordinate with national organizations for training.

Requires students to take an in-person or online educational program on hazing within 30 days of enrollment. Requires students to take the program before engaging in extracurricular activities. Requires each public school to provide on its website all of the listed information about hazing violations committed by organizations. Records must be kept for at least five years. Requires public schools to report hazing violations involving serious bodily injury or significant risk of serious bodily injury committed by an organization to local law enforcement within 72 hours of learning of the violation.

Requires the following to comply with these requirements: local boards of education (GS 115C-47), board of trustees of schools for deaf and blind students (GS 115C-150.12C), charter schools (GS 115C-218.75), regional schools (GS 115C-238.66), and laboratory schools (GS 116-239.8).

Enacts new GS 116-40.14 to require a UNC constituent institution that is an institution of higher education or a community college, to investigate all allegations of hazing by students according to the institution’s standard disciplinary process. Requires the UNC Board of Governors, in consultation with the State Board of Community Colleges, Department of Public Instruction, and State Board of Education, to develop an educational plan for public institutions of higher education to prevent hazing, including information on awareness, prevention, and intervention; requires provisions for institutions to coordinate with national organizations for training.

Requires students to take an in-person or online educational program on hazing within 30 days of enrollment. Requires students to take the program before engaging in extracurricular activities. Requires each institution to provide on its website all of the listed information about hazing violations committed by organizations. Records must be kept for at least five years. Requires institutions to report hazing violations involving serious bodily injury or significant risk of serious bodily injury committed by an organization to local law enforcement within 72 hours of learning of the violation.

Makes conforming changes to GS 115D-12.

Applies beginning with the 2025-26 school year and the 2025-26 academic year. Requires the Department of Public Instruction and the UNC Board of Governors to submit the first report on October 15, 2026, based on data from the spring 2026 semester.

Part III.

Provides a savings clause for offenses committed before the act’s effective date.