House File 2535 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2535 BY COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 651) A BILL FOR An Act establishing a criminal offense for written or 1 electronic threats to kill, cause bodily injury, or conduct 2 a mass shooting or an act of terrorism, and providing 3 penalties. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 6023HV (1) 91 as/js
H.F. 2535 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 708.7A Written or electronic 1 threats to kill, cause bodily injury, or conduct a mass shooting 2 or an act of terrorism —— punishment —— exemption from liability. 3 1. As used in this section, “electronic record” means any 4 record created, modified, archived, received, or distributed 5 electronically that contains any combination of text, graphics, 6 video, audio, or pictorial representation in digital form, but 7 does not include a telephone call. 8 2. A person shall not send, post, or transmit, or procure 9 the sending, posting, or transmission of, a writing or other 10 record, including an electronic record, in any manner in which 11 it may be viewed by another person, when in such writing or 12 record the person makes a threat to do any of the following: 13 a. Kill or cause bodily harm to another person. 14 b. Conduct a mass shooting or an act of terrorism. 15 3. A person who commits a violation of this section commits 16 a class “C” felony. 17 4. The transmission, storage, or caching of electronic 18 communications or messages or use of related telecommunications 19 service, commercial mobile radio service, or information 20 service by a person who violates this section does not impose 21 liability on the provider of an interactive computer service, 22 a communications service, a commercial mobile service, or an 23 information service, including but not limited to an internet 24 service provider or a hosting service provider, that was used 25 by the person. 26 EXPLANATION 27 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 28 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 29 This bill establishes a criminal offense for written or 30 electronic threats to kill, cause bodily injury, or conduct a 31 mass shooting or an act of terrorism. 32 The bill provides that it is unlawful for a person to 33 send, post, or transmit, or procure the sending, posting, 34 or transmission of, a writing or other record, including an 35 -1- LSB 6023HV (1) 91 as/js 1/ 2
H.F. 2535 electronic record, in any manner in which it may be viewed by 1 another person, when in such writing or record the person makes 2 a threat to kill or cause bodily harm to another person, or 3 conduct a mass shooting or an act of terrorism. 4 A person who commits a violation of the bill commits a class 5 “C” felony. A class “C” felony is punishable by confinement 6 for no more than 10 years and a fine of at least $1,370 but not 7 more than $13,660. 8 -2- LSB 6023HV (1) 91 as/js 2/ 2