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To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide penalties for communicating threats that target schools.
Summary
This bill amends federal criminal law to impose penalties specifically for threatening communications targeting schools. It modifies existing laws on threats involving fire or explosives, threats made through mail or interstate communications, and false information or hoaxes to add enhanced penalties when the threat or false information involves a public, private, or religious school. The bill applies to schools providing early childhood through career and technical education. Violators of these school-specific threat provisions face imprisonment for up to 20 years, fines, or both. The law covers threats against schools, maliciously conveyed false information about schools, and the communication of false information indicating criminal activity at schools.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
1 cosponsor
- Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2] (R-NE)
Actions (2)
- Sep 26, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. · house
- Sep 26, 2025 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
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Text versions (1)
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Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 26, 2025
Mr. Lawler (for himself and Mr. Bacon) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide penalties for communicating threats that target schools.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Schools Want Accountability for Threats Act” or the “SWAT Act”.
SEC. 2. THREATS INVOLVING FIRE OR EXPLOSIVES.
Section 844(e) of title 18, United States Code, is amended—
(1) by striking “(e)” and inserting “(e)(1)”; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
“(2) Whoever violates paragraph (1) by making a threat against, or maliciously conveying false information with respect to, a public, private, or religious school that provides early childhood, elementary, secondary, postsecondary, or career and technical education, as determined under State law, shall be imprisoned for not more than 20 years or fined under this title, or both.”.
SEC. 3. THREATS THROUGH THE MAIL OR INTERSTATE COMMUNICATIONS.
Chapter 41 of title 18, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in section 875 by adding at the end the following:
“(e) Whoever violates any other provision of this section by making a threat against a public, private, or religious school that provides early childhood, elementary, secondary, postsecondary, or career and technical education, as determined under State law, shall be imprisoned for not more than 20 years or fined under this title, or both.”; and
(2) in section 876 by adding at the end the following:
“(e) Whoever violates any other provision of this section by making a threat against a public, private, or religious school that provides early childhood, elementary, secondary, postsecondary, or career and technical education, as determined under State law, shall be imprisoned for not more than 20 years or fined under this title, or both.”.
SEC. 4. FALSE INFORMATION AND HOAXES.
Section 1038(a)(1) of title 18, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in subparagraph (B) by striking “and”;
(2) in subparagraph (C) by striking the period and inserting “; and”; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
“(D) if the information indicates that the activity has taken, is taking, or will take place in a public, private, or religious school that provides early childhood, elementary, secondary, postsecondary, or career and technical education, as determined under State law, be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.”. <all>
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