A bipartisan group of Pennsylvania state senators has introduced legislation that would strengthen penalties for people making terroristic threats against educational institutions.

The bill would elevate threats against educational institutions to a third-degree felony, regardless of whether the threat causes disruption to normal operations.

Currently, terroristic threats are generally classified as first-degree misdemeanors under Pennsylvania law. They are only upgraded to third-degree felonies when “the threat causes the occupants of the building, place of assembly or facility of public transportation to be diverted from their normal or customary operations.”

The new legislation explicitly states that an offense would constitute a felony of the third degree if “the threat relates to a school entity or institution of higher education.”

This change would ensure more severe penalties even for threats that don’t result in evacuation or disruption.

““School lockdowns are very stressful for students, educators, parents, and law enforcement,” said state Sen. Dave Argall. “The perpetrators of these hoaxes must be held accountable. This bill would ensure they face serious criminal penalties and reimburse schools and law enforcement for their efforts.”

In March 2023, Lehighton Area High School was among numerous schools targeted by a “swatting” hoax. Lehighton Borough Police received a call from a man with a thick foreign accent, claiming there was a shooting at the high school with five victims in a bathroom. The school was immediately placed on lockdown, and a thorough search by local police and school authorities revealed no threat. Investigations indicated that similar false reports were made to other districts in eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The proposed legislation also expands the restitution requirements for those convicted. According to the bill, individuals found guilty would be responsible for paying “any costs of an evacuation or other response resulting from the threat,” including:

*The costs of supplies, equipment or materials used by an emergency medical services agency, fire company, law enforcement agency, school entity or institution of higher education or other governmental entity to respond to the threat,

*The costs of prepared and unprepared food that went unused as a result of an evacuation or diversion from the normal or customary operations of a school entity or institution of higher education, and

*Salary and overtime pay for emergency responders, teachers, administrators, and other school employees during the response.