Hazing is a dangerous and often life-threatening practice that continues to plague many schools, colleges, and universities across the country and here in South Dakota.

Despite efforts to eliminate it, the culture of hazing persists, leaving students vulnerable to physical and emotional harm. In some tragic cases, it even leads to death. It is time for meaningful change.

House Bill 1090, which aims to create an anti-hazing law, represents a critical step forward in protecting students.

If passed into law, this bill will establish clear penalties for people who engage in these activities.

In my personal experience, SDSU has organizations that haze students, I have reported what I had experienced to the university and they have failed in imposing its policies on hazing, or even investigating my claims, leaving me to become a victim of hazing.

The university is now under federal investigation by the U.S. Department of Education, risking its federal funding, an act the federal government has never done before, but with this new administration, being stripped of federal funding is entirely possible.