Moylan Wants Vote on Hazing Bill by May

A vote on the Illinois House floor is the next step for a bill that would make the responsibility for hazing at education institutions equal for both those doing the hazing and any employees that neglect to report it. Illinois State Rep. Marty Moylan, 55th District, introduced the legislation, which passed through the judiciary committee, he stated in a press release on Wednesday.

Moylan said, in an interview with Patch, the proposed law would make all school employees already responsible for reporting hazing also accountable for the actions if they fail to report them.

“You don’t have to be a teacher, you could be a janitor,” Moylan said. “Whatever your job title is, if one of your responsibilities is to report hazing, and you don’t, then, you know what, you’re just as responsible, you’re just as guilty as the hazer.”

Maine West High School in Des Plaines, where Moylan served as mayor until the end of 2012, is involved in a hazing and bullying lawsuit filed by four current and former students.

“It’s unfortunate that such heinous behavior took place in a school environment,” Moylan said in his public statement. “This legislation strengthens the penalties for those school employees who fail to report hazing.”

Moylan said he expected his bill to reach the House floor before the end of the legislature’s session at the end of May. He said it was one of several he was working on.

“When you have a good bill, you work the room and explain how it is, and any of these are very important for members of the 55th District,” Moylan said.

The 55th Illinois House District includes several communities including portions of Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village, Park Ridge and Rosemont.

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