Gov. Beshear signs Lofton’s Law and Lily’s Law

New laws honor teens by strengthening penalties for hazing and DUI

FRANKFORT, Ky. —  Governor Andy Beshear signing Lofton’s Law on Monday, it’s named after Thomas Lofton Hazelwood, it strengthens penalties for hazing and dui.

Senate Bill 9 was passed by lawmakers in response to the hazing death of UK  freshman Lofton Hazelwood in October of 2021.
The bill increases the penalty for hazing that results in physical harm or death to a Class D Felony.
Hazing that does not cause physical harm will be increased to a class a misdemeanor.

“It’s a phone call nobody ever wants to get and we hope this never happens to anybody else again.
This is not going to bring my baby back. But this is going to save other laughs That’s how we just want the safety of the students,” said Tracey Hazelwood, Lofton’s mother during the signing of the bill.

“Children and young people that go to college should be have the ability to have a great time in college and not have the fear of hazing that has been so prevalent over the last many years. So we think this law is going to be a deterrent,” added Sen. Robby Mills, who has helped Lofton’s family bring Lofton’s Law to become a reality.

Governor Beshear also signed Lily’s Law, named after Lily Fairfield.

House Bill 262, was passed in response to the death the 16-year-old Lily,  who was killed in 2021 after a driver under the influence, crashed into the car her sister was driving on their way to school.

The driver was arrested and later released on a DUI charge.

The bill mandates that a person is guilty of vehicular homicide when they cause the death of another, resulting from their operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, a controlled substance or other impairing substance.
The bill makes vehicular homicide, a Class B Felony.