State Sen. Tony Hwang is renewing his call to increase penalties for people who trigger bomb scares at school.



Hwang says the bill would classify making a bomb threat against a school as a felony, carrying up to 10 years in prison.



"We have to put a stop to it," says Hwang. "Even if it's a juvenile prank, what this bill and the message it sends out is we can no longer conduct ourselves in these kinds of pranks. This is a frightening reality for our world. And, it is no laughing matter."



Hwang says bipartisan support for the bill is growing and he feels strongly that the bill will pass this year. It is currently awaiting a vote before the state Senate.

The call comes a day after a bomb threat at Helen Keller Middle School in Easton prompted a two-hour evacuation. Last month, there were two bomb threats made to schools in Stamford. In all cases, police say they found nothing dangerous.