CHAPTER 105

(SB 19)

Terrorist threat, communicating the threat made a crime.


         ENTITLED, An Act to  create the crime of communicating a terroristic threat or hoax terroristic threat and to provide certain penalties therefor.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA:

     Section  1.  Any person who intentionally communicates a threat by leaving a substance or device, thereby causing either serious public inconvenience, or the evacuation or serious disruption of a building, place of assembly, facility of public or school transport, or a school related event, is guilty of communicating a terroristic threat. For the purposes of this section, a substance or device includes, but is not limited to, an actual or apparent dangerous weapon, destructive device, dangerous chemical, biological agent, poison, or harmful radioactive substance. A violation of this section is a Class 4 felony.

     Section  2.  Any person who intentionally possesses, transports, uses, or places any hoax substance or hoax destructive device with the intent of causing anxiety, unrest, fear, or personal discomfort is guilty of a Class 5 felony. A hoax substance is any substance that would cause a person to reasonably believe that it is a dangerous chemical or biological agent, a poison, a harmful radioactive substance, or a similar substance. A hoax destructive device is any device that would cause a person to reasonably believe that it is a dangerous explosive or incendiary device or a similar destructive device.

     Section  3.  The court may, after conviction or adjudication of any violation of this Act, conduct a hearing to ascertain the extent of costs incurred, damages and financial loss suffered by local, county, or state public safety agencies, and the amount of property damage caused as a result of the crime. A person found guilty of violating this Act may upon conviction, be ordered to make restitution to the local, county, or state public service agency for any cost incurred, damages and financial loss or property damage sustained as a result of the commission of the crime.

     Section  4.  That § 22-14A-22 be amended to read as follows:

     22-14A-22.   Any person who makes a false report, with intent to deceive, mislead, or otherwise misinform any person, concerning the placing or planting of any bomb, dynamite, explosive, or destructive device, dangerous chemical, biological agent, poison or harmful radioactive substance, is guilty of falsely reporting a bomb threat . Falsely reporting a bomb threat is a Class 6 felony. Any person found guilty of falsely reporting a bomb threat shall pay restitution for any expense incurred as a result of the crime. The person is also civilly liable for any injury to person or property from the false report and any costs related to responding to the false report. If the person making the false report prohibited by this section is a minor, the court, in addition to such other disposition as the court may impose, shall require the minor to perform at least fifty hours of public service unless tried as an adult.

     Section  5.  The provisions of this Act may not be construed to create any cause of action against any person based upon or arising out of any act or omission relating to any good faith response to a terrorist act or an attempted terrorist act.

     Signed February 27, 2002.
_______________

Session Laws Menu | LRC Menu

This page is maintained by the Legislative Research Council