PRINTER'S NO. 626
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
564
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY BLAKE, FONTANA, SANTARSIERO, FARNESE, STREET,
COSTA, HUGHES, BROWNE, TARTAGLIONE, HAYWOOD AND BREWSTER,
APRIL 18, 2019
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, APRIL 18, 2019
AN ACT
Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in assault, providing for the offense
of bullying.
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:
ยง 2709.2. Bullying.
(a) Offense defined.--A person commits the offense of
bullying when the person commits a defined crime with the intent
to:
(1) harass, annoy, alarm or intimidate another
individual or group of individuals; or
(2) place another individual or group of individuals in
fear of bodily injury or property damage.
(b) Grading.-- An offense under this section shall be
classified as a misdemeanor of the third degree if the other
defined crime is classified as a summary offense. Otherwise, an
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offense under this section shall be classified one degree higher
in the classification specified in section 106 (relating to
classes of offenses) than the classification of the other
defined crime.
(c) False report.--A person who knowingly gives false
information to a law enforcement officer with the intent to
implicate a person under this section commits an offense under
section 4906 (relating to false reports to law enforcement
authorities).
(d) Venue.--
(1) An offense committed under this section may be
deemed to have been committed at the place where the
communications or actions were made or received.
(2) Acts indicating a course of conduct that occur in
more than one jurisdiction may be used by any other
jurisdiction in which an act occurred as evidence of a
continuing pattern of conduct or a course of conduct.
(e) Application of section.--This section shall not apply to
conduct by a party to a labor dispute as defined in the act of
June 2, 1937 (P.L.1198, No.308), known as the Labor Anti-
Injunction Act, or to any constitutionally protected activity.
(f) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Defined crime." An offense under any of the following:
(1) Any other provision of this chapter.
(2) Chapter 33 (relating to arson, criminal mischief and
other property destruction), exclusive of section 3307
(relating to institutional vandalism).
(3) Chapter 35 (relating to burglary and other criminal
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intrusion), exclusive of section 3503 (relating to criminal
trespass).
(4) Chapter 41 (relating to forgery and fraudulent
practices).
(5) Chapter 57 (relating to wiretapping and electronic
surveillance).
(6) Chapter 75 (relating to other offenses).
(7) Chapter 76 (relating to computer offenses).
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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