---
title: O.C.G.A. § 16-5-61. Hazing.
collection: code
id: 16-5-61
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 16-5-61 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-5-61
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-5-61.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-5-61/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t16-ch1-6-(v14)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=e7841a34_0#page=138
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CRIMES AND OFFENSES / CRIMES AGAINST THE PERSON / RECKLESS CONDUCT
---

# O.C.G.A. § 16-5-61. Hazing.

(a) As used in this Code section, the term:

(1) “Haze” or “hazing” means to subject a student to an activity which endangers or is likely to endanger the physical health of a student or coerces the student through the use of social or physical pressure to consume any food, liquid, alcohol, drug, or other substance which subjects the student to a likely risk of vomiting, intoxication, or unconsciousness regardless of a student’s willingness to participate in such activity.

(2) “School” means any unit of the University System of Georgia, any unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, or any private postsecondary school, college, or university in this state.

(3) “School organization” means any association, corporation, order, club, society, fraternity, sorority, athletic team, or a group living together which has students or alumni as its principal members, including local affiliate organizations.

(4) “Student” means any person enrolled or prospectively enrolled in a school in this state.

(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to haze any student in connection with or as a condition or precondition of gaining acceptance, membership, office, or other status in a school organization.

(c) Any person who violates this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature.

## History

Code 1981, § 16-5-61, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 694, § 1; Ga. L. 1990, p. 1690, § 1; Ga. L. 2021, p. 206, § 2/SB 85.

## Cross References

Establishment of school policies and mandatory reporting of hazing, § 20-1-30.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2021, p. 206, § 1/SB 85, not codified by the General Assembly, provided: “This Act shall be known and may be cited as the ‘Max Gruver Act.’”

## Law Reviews

For article, “SB 85: Mandatory Reporting of Hazing-Related Violations,” see 38 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 1 (2021).

## Amendments

The 2021 amendment, effective July 1, 2021, rewrote subsection (a).