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

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
 1   Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in falsification and intimidation,
 3      providing for swatting costs.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6      Section 1.    Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
 7   Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
 8   § 4905.2.   Swatting costs.
 9      (a)   Additional penalty.--In addition to a penalty imposed
10   under section 4905.1 (relating to swatting), a court may order a
11   person convicted or adjudicated under 4905.1(a) to pay to the
12   State, local unit of government, law enforcement agency,
13   firefighter, fire company, emergency medical services agency or
14   provider or a government employee or contractor the costs of
15   responding to the false report that is the basis of the swatting
16   offense, including the use of police, fire, medical or other
17   emergency response personnel, vehicles and teams.
18      (b)   Juveniles.--The following apply to a juvenile ordered to
 1   pay costs under this section:
 2            (1)   If the court determines that the juvenile is or will
 3      be unable to pay the costs ordered, after notice to the
 4      juvenile's parent or legal guardian and an opportunity for
 5      the persons to be heard, the court may order the parent or
 6      legal guardian having supervisory responsibility of the
 7      juvenile at the time of the act upon which the order is based
 8      to pay a portion of the costs ordered that is outstanding. An
 9      order under this paragraph does not relieve the juvenile of
10      the juvenile's obligation to pay the costs as ordered, but
11      the amount owed shall be offset by an amount paid by the
12      juvenile's parent or legal guardian.
13            (2)   If the court orders a parent or legal guardian to
14      pay costs under paragraph (1), the court shall take into
15      account the financial resources of the parent or legal
16      guardians and the burden that the payment of the cost will
17      impose. If the court requires a parent or legal guardian to
18      pay costs under paragraph (1), the court shall provide for
19      payment to be made in specified installments over a specific
20      period of time.
21            (3)   A parent or legal guardian who has been ordered to
22      pay costs under paragraph (1) may petition the court for a
23      modification of the amount of the costs owed or for a
24      cancellation of an unpaid portion of the obligation. The
25      court shall cancel all or part of the obligation due if the
26      court determines that the payment of the amount due will
27      impose a manifest hardship on the parent or legal guardian.
28      (c)   Multiple entities.--If more than one unit of government
29   or other type of entity incurs a cost in responding to a
30   swatting offense, the court may order the person convicted to

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 1   reimburse each unit of government or other type of entity for
 2   the expense incurred.
 3      (d)   Process.--The amount ordered to be paid under this
 4   section shall be paid to the court at a time and in a manner
 5   prescribed by the court. The clerk of the court shall transmit
 6   the appropriate amount to the unit of government or other entity
 7   named in the order to receive reimbursement. Unless otherwise
 8   ordered by the court, reimbursement shall be made immediately.
 9   This subsection does not prohibit a court from authorizing
10   payments to be made according to a payment schedule to be
11   completed during a specified time.
12      (e)   Enforcement.--An order for reimbursement issued under
13   this section may be enforced in the same manner as a judgment in
14   a civil action by the district attorney of a county in which a
15   government unit or other entity entitled to reimbursement under
16   the order is located.
17      (f)   Definition.--For purposes of this subsection, the term
18   "costs of responding" includes:
19            (1)   The salary or wages, including overtime pay, of a
20      police officer or law enforcement agency for time spent
21      responding to the swatting offense from which the following
22      occurred:
23                  (i)    The conviction or adjudication of delinquency.
24                  (ii)    The arrest of the person convicted or
25            adjudicated delinquent.
26                  (iii)    Processing the person after arrest.
27                  (iv)    Preparing reports on the incident.
28                  (v)    Investigating the incident.
29                  (vi)    Collecting and analyzing evidence.
30                  (vii)    Preparing for and appearing at a pretrial

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 1        proceeding or trial.
 2        (2)    The salary, wages or other compensation, including
 3    overtime pay, of a firefighter or emergency medical services
 4    provider for time spent in responding to the swatting
 5    offense.
 6        (3)    The salary, wages or other compensation, including
 7    overtime pay, of a prosecutor for time spent investigating
 8    and prosecuting the crime charged under 4905.1.
 9        (4)    The salary, wages or other compensation, including
10    overtime pay, of other government employees or contractors
11    for time spent in responding to the swatting offense.
12        (5)    The costs of supplies expended or equipment used by
13    the law enforcement agency, fire company, emergency medical
14    services agency, other government employees or contractors in
15    responding to the swatting offense.
16    Section 2.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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