PULLMAN, Wash. – The death of Sam Martinez, a freshman at Washington State University in 2019, has sparked a movement against hazing. Martinez died of alcohol poisoning during a hazing incident at his fraternity, Alpha Tau Omega.
His parents have since become advocates against hazing, joining forces with other families to promote change. Recently, their efforts contributed to the U.S. Senate passing the ‘Stop Campus Hazing Act.’
This federal act follows the successful lobbying for the ‘Sam Martinez Stop Hazing Act,’ which is now law. It increases penalties for serious hazing offenses in Washington state, elevating them from misdemeanors to felonies. The law also broadens the definition of hazing and mandates higher education institutions to provide hazing awareness education and report violations.
The federal act aims to require all colleges and universities to publicly disclose hazing incidents on their websites. It also mandates the creation of campus-wide hazing prevention programs for institutions that do not already have them.
Martinez died just days before Thanksgiving break in 2019. Police determined his death was preventable and resulted from fraternity hazing. Several students faced jail time as a consequence.
The Martinez family continues to advocate for these changes to prevent other families from experiencing similar tragedies.
