HARRISBURG – The Senate approved legislation this week to crack down on false emergency threats targeting schools, a move aimed at enhancing public safety and reducing the strain on emergency responders, according to Sen. Lisa Baker (R-20), who supported the measure.
In northeastern Pennsylvania, nearly a dozen schools were plagued by anonymous threats in 2023, resulting in closures and loss of instruction time, hindering student progress.
Senate Bill 96 would establish new felony penalties for individuals who make hoax emergency reports involving educational institutions. If signed into law, making a false report of an emergency threat to a school would be classified as a third-degree felony, and courts would be allowed to impose financial penalties to recover the costs incurred by taxpayers for emergency response efforts.
“False emergency threats not only create panic in our schools but also waste critical resources that should be directed toward real emergencies,” said Baker. “By establishing stronger penalties, we are sending a clear message that these reckless actions will not be tolerated. Our schools must remain safe havens for learning, free from unnecessary fear and disruption.”
The legislation comes in response to a troubling rise in hoax threats made against schools across Pennsylvania, causing fear among students and parents while diverting law enforcement and emergency personnel from real emergencies.
Senate Bill 96 is part of a broader effort to safeguard schools and hold bad actors accountable. The bill, which also passed the Senate in the previous legislative session, now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.
CONTACT: Jennifer Wilson