Pennsylvania HB 1911: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in falsification and intimidation, providing for swatting costs.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 2392
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1911
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY C. WILLIAMS, KUZMA, STAATS, SMITH, STENDER,
STAMBAUGH, CUTLER, K.HARRIS, SHAFFER, RADER, MOUL, RYNCAVAGE,
ROWE, FLOOD, KAUFFMAN, PUGH AND GOUGHNOUR, SEPTEMBER 30, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, OCTOBER 1, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in falsification and intimidation,
providing for swatting costs.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 4905.2. Swatting costs.
(a) Additional penalty.--In addition to a penalty imposed
under section 4905.1 (relating to swatting), a court may order a
person convicted or adjudicated under 4905.1(a) to pay to the
State, local unit of government, law enforcement agency,
firefighter, fire company, emergency medical services agency or
provider or a government employee or contractor the costs of
responding to the false report that is the basis of the swatting
offense, including the use of police, fire, medical or other
emergency response personnel, vehicles and teams.
(b) Juveniles.--The following apply to a juvenile ordered to
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pay costs under this section:
(1) If the court determines that the juvenile is or will
be unable to pay the costs ordered, after notice to the
juvenile's parent or legal guardian and an opportunity for
the persons to be heard, the court may order the parent or
legal guardian having supervisory responsibility of the
juvenile at the time of the act upon which the order is based
to pay a portion of the costs ordered that is outstanding. An
order under this paragraph does not relieve the juvenile of
the juvenile's obligation to pay the costs as ordered, but
the amount owed shall be offset by an amount paid by the
juvenile's parent or legal guardian.
(2) If the court orders a parent or legal guardian to
pay costs under paragraph (1), the court shall take into
account the financial resources of the parent or legal
guardians and the burden that the payment of the cost will
impose. If the court requires a parent or legal guardian to
pay costs under paragraph (1), the court shall provide for
payment to be made in specified installments over a specific
period of time.
(3) A parent or legal guardian who has been ordered to
pay costs under paragraph (1) may petition the court for a
modification of the amount of the costs owed or for a
cancellation of an unpaid portion of the obligation. The
court shall cancel all or part of the obligation due if the
court determines that the payment of the amount due will
impose a manifest hardship on the parent or legal guardian.
(c) Multiple entities.--If more than one unit of government
or other type of entity incurs a cost in responding to a
swatting offense, the court may order the person convicted to
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reimburse each unit of government or other type of entity for
the expense incurred.
(d) Process.--The amount ordered to be paid under this
section shall be paid to the court at a time and in a manner
prescribed by the court. The clerk of the court shall transmit
the appropriate amount to the unit of government or other entity
named in the order to receive reimbursement. Unless otherwise
ordered by the court, reimbursement shall be made immediately.
This subsection does not prohibit a court from authorizing
payments to be made according to a payment schedule to be
completed during a specified time.
(e) Enforcement.--An order for reimbursement issued under
this section may be enforced in the same manner as a judgment in
a civil action by the district attorney of a county in which a
government unit or other entity entitled to reimbursement under
the order is located.
(f) Definition.--For purposes of this subsection, the term
"costs of responding" includes:
(1) The salary or wages, including overtime pay, of a
police officer or law enforcement agency for time spent
responding to the swatting offense from which the following
occurred:
(i) The conviction or adjudication of delinquency.
(ii) The arrest of the person convicted or
adjudicated delinquent.
(iii) Processing the person after arrest.
(iv) Preparing reports on the incident.
(v) Investigating the incident.
(vi) Collecting and analyzing evidence.
(vii) Preparing for and appearing at a pretrial
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proceeding or trial.
(2) The salary, wages or other compensation, including
overtime pay, of a firefighter or emergency medical services
provider for time spent in responding to the swatting
offense.
(3) The salary, wages or other compensation, including
overtime pay, of a prosecutor for time spent investigating
and pros