(a) Offense defined.--A person commits the crime of terroristic threats if the person communicates, either directly or indirectly, a threat to:
(1) commit any crime of violence with intent to terrorize another;
(2) cause evacuation of a building, place of assembly or facility of public transportation; or
(3) otherwise cause serious public inconvenience, or cause terror or serious public inconvenience with reckless disregard of the risk of causing such terror or inconvenience.
(b) Restitution.--A person convicted of violating this section shall, in addition to any other sentence imposed or restitution ordered under 42 Pa.C.S. ยง 9721(c) (relating to sentencing generally), be sentenced to pay restitution in an amount equal to the cost of the evacuation, including, but not limited to, fire and police response; emergency medical service or emergency preparedness response; and transportation of an individual from the building, place of assembly or facility.
(c) Preservation of private remedies.--No judgment or order of restitution shall debar a person, by appropriate action, to recover from the offender as otherwise provided by law, provided that any civil award shall be reduced by the amount paid under the criminal judgment.
(d) Grading.--An offense under subsection (a) constitutes a misdemeanor of the first degree unless 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, in which case the offense constitutes a felony of the third degree.
(e) Definition.--As used in this section, the term "communicates" means conveys in person or by written or electronic means, including telephone, electronic mail, Internet, facsimile, telex and similar transmissions.
(June 18, 1998, P.L.534, No.76, eff. 60 days; Dec. 15, 1999, P.L.915, No.59, eff. 60 days; June 28, 2002, P.L.481, No.82, eff. 60 days)
2002 Amendment. Act 82 amended subsecs. (b), (c) and (d).
1999 Amendment. Act 59 amended subsec. (a) and added subsecs. (d) and (e).
Cross References. Section 2706 is referred to in sections 911, 2711, 5708 of this title; section 5329 of Title 23 (Domestic Relations); section 5552 of Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure); section 1532 of Title 75 (Vehicles).
Structure Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Title 18 - CRIMES AND OFFENSES
Section 2702 - Aggravated assault
Section 2702.1 - Assault of law enforcement officer
Section 2703 - Assault by prisoner
Section 2703.1 - Aggravated harassment by prisoner
Section 2704 - Assault by life prisoner
Section 2705 - Recklessly endangering another person
Section 2706 - Terroristic threats
Section 2707 - Propulsion of missiles into an occupied vehicle or onto a roadway
Section 2707.1 - Discharge of a firearm into an occupied structure
Section 2707.2 - Paintball guns and paintball markers
Section 2708 - Use of tear or noxious gas in labor disputes
Section 2710 - Ethnic intimidation
Section 2711 - Probable cause arrests in domestic violence cases
Section 2712 - Assault on sports official
Section 2713 - Neglect of care-dependent person
Section 2713.1 - Abuse of care-dependent person
Section 2714 - Unauthorized administration of intoxicant
Section 2715 - Threat to use weapons of mass destruction