Posted on March 23, 2016
HARTFORD – In response to recent threats made to several Connecticut schools, State Representatives Rosa C. Rebimbas (R-70) and David Labriola (R-131) today hailed Judicial Committee passage of a bill that will strengthen criminal threatening laws regarding schools and school property.
S.B. 246 (raised) – An Act Concerning The Zero-Tolerance Safe School Environment Act – would amend current state law to include intent to cause evacuation of a school or school grounds in an attempt to threaten or intimidate as a felony, and provide legal protections for people who report potential threats to police or school officials.
“Protecting our students is a priority and holding those who threaten the safety and security of Connecticut schools accountable, while also protecting the rights of those who inform police or school officials of potential threats, is vitally important,” Rep. Rebimbas said. “By strengthening school threatening laws we can continue to provide a safe school environment for all students and prosecute anyone who knowingly and willingly tries to disrupt the learning environment through verbal or physical threat.”
“The safety of Connecticut residents, especially our schoolchildren, is a critical issue and this legislation adds stronger protections and increased penalties for those who would issue threats to our schools,” Rep. Labriola said.
According to the non-partisan Office of Legislative Research there were 39 school threat offenses resulting in discipline for the 2013-2014 school year, 72 during 2012-2013 and 90 during the 2011-2012 school year.
The bill also creates a provision to protect those who report potential threats to law enforcement or school districts with an “absolute defense to any civil action brought as a result of having made such report,” provided they exercised due care when making the report and at all times acted in good faith.
Additionally, the bill allows for a pardon to young children who threatened to commit an act of violence against a school provided they were under the age of 18 at the time of the incident, three years have elapsed since the date of conviction or release from supervision of the court, and have no juvenile or adult criminal proceedings pending. The pardon component of the legislation is not intended to allow people who maliciously create a threat to a school facility from escaping punishment, and they will still be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Instead, the pardon can be used to assist young children who impulsively and inappropriately made such threats from having a felony conviction hamper their future.
The full text of the raised bill can be found by clicking here or by going to www.cga.ct.gov and searching 2016 bill #246.
The bill now moves for consideration in the House and Senate. The Legislative session ends at midnight on Wednesday, May 4, 2016.
Rep. Rebimbas represents the 70th district of Naugatuck/ Rep. Labriola represents the 131st district of Naugatuck, Oxford, and Southbury.