(a) Offense defined.--A person commits the crime of terroristic threats if the person communicates, either directly or indirectly, a threat to:

(1) commit any crime of violence with intent to terrorize another;

(2) cause evacuation of a building, place of assembly or facility of public transportation; or

(3) otherwise cause serious public inconvenience, or cause terror or serious public inconvenience with reckless disregard of the risk of causing such terror or inconvenience.

(b) Restitution.--A person convicted of violating this section shall, in addition to any other sentence imposed or restitution ordered under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9721(c) (relating to sentencing generally), be sentenced to pay restitution in an amount equal to the cost of the evacuation, including, but not limited to, fire and police response; emergency medical service or emergency preparedness response; and transportation of an individual from the building, place of assembly or facility.

(c) Preservation of private remedies.--No judgment or order of restitution shall debar a person, by appropriate action, to recover from the offender as otherwise provided by law, provided that any civil award shall be reduced by the amount paid under the criminal judgment.

(d) Grading.--An offense under subsection (a) constitutes a misdemeanor of the first degree unless the threat causes the occupants of the building, place of assembly or facility of public transportation to be diverted from their normal or customary operations, in which case the offense constitutes a felony of the third degree.

(e) Definition.--As used in this section, the term "communicates" means conveys in person or by written or electronic means, including telephone, electronic mail, Internet, facsimile, telex and similar transmissions.

(June 18, 1998, P.L.534, No.76, eff. 60 days; Dec. 15, 1999, P.L.915, No.59, eff. 60 days; June 28, 2002, P.L.481, No.82, eff. 60 days)

2002 Amendment. Act 82 amended subsecs. (b), (c) and (d).

1999 Amendment. Act 59 amended subsec. (a) and added subsecs. (d) and (e).

Cross References. Section 2706 is referred to in sections 911, 2711, 5708 of this title; section 5329 of Title 23 (Domestic Relations); section 5552 of Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure); section 1532 of Title 75 (Vehicles).