PRINTER'S NO. 2173
No. 1806 Session of 1981
INTRODUCED BY SALVATORE, PIEVSKY, WOGAN, WESTON, PERZEL,
GREENFIELD, McCLATCHY AND HAGARTY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1981
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1981
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
2 Consolidated Statutes, providing for crimes against race,
3 color, creed or religion by prohibiting certain acts.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Title 18, act of November 25, 1970 (P.L.707,
7 No.230), known as the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, is
8 amended by adding a section to read:
9 § 2710. Ethnic terrorism.
10 (a) Fear of bodily violence.--A person is guilty of a
11 misdemeanor of the first degree if he purposely, knowingly or
12 recklessly puts or attempts to put another in fear of bodily
13 violence by placing on public or private property a symbol, an
14 object, a characterization, an appellation or grafitti that
15 exposes another to threats of violence, contempt or hatred on
16 the basis of race, color, creed or religion, including, but not
17 limited to a burning cross or Nazi swastika. A person shall not
18 be guilty of an attempt unless his actions cause a serious and
1 imminent likelihood of causing fear of unlawful bodily violence.
2 (b) Damaging of property.--A person is guilty of a
3 misdemeanor of the second degree if he purposely defaces or
4 damages, without authorization of the owner or tenant, any
5 private premises or property primarily used for religious,
6 educational, residential, memorial, charitable, or cemetery
7 purposes, or for assembly by persons of a particular race,
8 color, creed or religion by placing thereon a symbol, an object,
9 a characterization, an appellation, or grafitti that exposes
10 another to threat of violence, contempt or hatred on the basis
11 of race, color, creed or religion, including but not limited to,
12 a burning cross or Nazi swastika.
13 Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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