Threats: schools and places of worship.

Senator Rubio's Safe Schools and Places of Worship Act establishes new criminal penalties for threats made against educational institutions and religious facilities in California. The legislation creates a distinct offense for threatening death or great bodily injury to individuals at schools or places of worship, whether delivered electronically or through other means.

Under the new provisions, adults who make such threats face misdemeanor charges punishable by up to one year in county jail or felony charges resulting in state imprisonment. The bill takes a different approach for offenders under 18, classifying their violations as infractions and mandating referral to support services rather than criminal prosecution. The legislation defines protected locations broadly, encompassing all educational facilities from preschools through universities, as well as buildings where religious services regularly occur.

The bill's findings cite research indicating that educational facilities have become the most frequent targets of bomb threats, with emergency responses costing approximately $100,000 per incident. Authors also point to rising religious-based hate crimes and "swatting" incidents - false emergency reports intended to provoke large law enforcement responses - as key factors necessitating enhanced protections. While the legislation creates new enforcement obligations for local agencies, it specifies that state reimbursement applies only to certain mandated costs as determined by the Commission on State Mandates.