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“Our message must be heard loud and clear: Connecticut does not tolerate threats of violence against our schools,” said Hwang (R-28th District). “And if someone does commit such a despicable act, they will face severe penalties that bring the punishment more in line with the crime. Today’s threats in Fairfield reinforce the need to strengthen our laws in this area.”
The law would set a new standard on how states can respond to the growing rate of threats of violence against schools, said Hwang.
In the last legislative session, he introduced and championed the bill, SB 1108: The Zero-Tolerance Safe School Environment Act.
The bill, which passed unanimously in the State Senate but was never called for a vote in the House of Representatives, called for the creation of a new section under the state’s existing threatening laws.
Under that new section, first-degree threatening wouold become a Class C felony and second-degree threatening would become a Class D felony; under the existing general threatening statutes, first-degree threatening is a Class D felony and second-degree threatening is a Class A misdemeanor.
The felony charges carry stiffer sentences.
Hwang represents Easton, Fairfield, Newtown, Weston and Westport in the state Senate.
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