The House Committee on Courts and Criminal Code heard SB 240 sponsored by Representative McNamara regarding terrorism and intimidation. The bill repeals and replaces in a new article the offense of possession, use or manufacture of a weapon of mass destruction; agricultural terrorism; terroristic mischief; and terroristic deception. The bill makes providing material support to a terrorist a Level 5 felony and increases the penalty to a Level 2 felony if the material support includes the commission of a felony or if the act of terrorism is reasonably likely to cause serious bodily injury to another person. The bill further makes concealing or harboring a person who commits a terrorist act a Level 6 felony and increases the penalty to a Level 3 felony if the terrorist act resulted in serious bodily injury or death. The bill makes committing a criminal offense with the intent to benefit a terrorist organization or to increase the person’s standing in a terrorist organization a Level 5 felony and increases the penalty to a Level 3 felony if the offense involves the unlawful use of a firearm or weapon of mass destruction. Finally, the bill provides that a person who commits an offense with the intent to assist another person in the commission of a felony terrorist offense is subject to an additional sentence enhancement equal to the sentence imposed for the underlying offense.
As to intimidation, the bill specifies that a person commits intimidation if the threatening communication places a person in fear that certain threats will be carried out, or if the threatening communication is made to a person other than the person who is the subject of the threat. The bill enhances the penalty for intimidation if the threat relates to the person’s occupation.
There were two amendments taken by consent. The first amendment was for technical corrections. The second amendment adds police scanner mobile apps to the definition of “police scanners” in the code section prohibiting the possession of police scanners. The Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council testified in support of the bill and the Indiana Public Defender Council testified in opposition. The amended bill passed 9-2.
Read the bill at: http://www.iga.in.gov/legislative/2019/bills/senate/240