New Mexico Governor will pursue anti-hazing legislation next session
(The Center Square) – New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham plans to pursue anti-hazing legislation when the state legislature meets again next year.
The governor’s promise comes in response to hazing and sexual assault allegations in two college basketball programs.
“I am appalled by the allegations at New Mexico public universities involving hazing and abuse – outrage doesn’t go far enough,” Lujan Grisham said in a press release. “It is the responsibility of higher education leadership and governing boards to establish a safe, healthy environment for students, and I’m incredibly disappointed that it does not appear to be a priority at some of the state’s public colleges and universities.”
Some of those hazing and sexual assault allegations stem from incidents that allegedly occurred involving the New Mexico State University men’s basketball team this past season; it resulted in the team’s season ending early and head coach Greg Heiar being fired.
Two New Mexico State players filed a lawsuit against the school’s Board of Regents, Heiar, assistant coach Dominique Taylor and three former players regarding these alleged incidents.
Additionally, three former members of the Eastern New Mexico University women’s basketball filed a lawsuit against the university for what they allege was a series of sexual assaults ignored by university officials, according to KTSM.
Lujan Grisham said the state must make changes in response to these allegations.
“I — along with my administration — have ZERO tolerance for abuse of any kind, and I will root out cultures of hazing and abuse at every higher education institution in New Mexico,” she said in the release. “In the next legislative session, I will be putting anti-hazing and abuse legislation on the call, making it unequivocal in state law that hazing is a crime and those who do harm to others will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
New Mexico is one of just six states that does not have anti-hazing laws on the books, according to the governor’s office.
