Latest News from State Capitol and 55th District

October 9, 2025

Taking a Stand on Swatting

The recent swatting incident at Grove City College, my alma mater, last month hit close to home.

Hearing the panic in my district manager’s voice as she recounted her son’s experience on campus during the incident underscored the urgency of this issue. Frightened for her, her family and the entire Grove City community, the situation ignited a fire in me to address this dangerous trend. 

Swatting is purposely making false 911 calls to provoke a heavy police response. It’s not just a prank; it’s a reckless act that endangers lives and drains public resources. That’s why I’m co-sponsoring two critical bills with Rep. Craig Williams (R-Delaware/Chester) to combat the issue in Pennsylvania. I participated in a recent press conference to discuss the proposals.

Currently, swatting is not classified as a felony in our state, which is unacceptable. The first bill I’m supporting would change that. House Bill 1912 defines the offense of swatting and makes the offense a felony crime to ensure perpetrators face serious consequences for the chaos they cause. From endangering innocent people to overburdening our law enforcement, these fake calls demand a strong response.

The second bill, House Bill 1911, focuses on restitution. Those who make fraudulent 911 calls should not only face felony charges but also bear the financial burden of their actions, covering the costs of deploying police, SWAT teams, or other emergency services. This isn’t just about punishment — it’s about fairness to taxpayers and ensuring our first responders can focus on genuine emergencies.

The swatting incident at Grove City College was a stark reminder of why these bills are urgent. No student, faculty member or community should endure the terror of a fake emergency. The fear experienced by students, including my district manager’s son, was palpable, and it’s a scenario we cannot allow to persist.

I’m committed to protecting our communities and ensuring Pennsylvania sends a clear message: swatting will not be tolerated. By making it a felony and holding perpetrators financially accountable, we can deter these dangerous acts. Our schools, neighborhoods and first responders deserve nothing less.

Here are some additional news topics and reminders I would like to share.

Voter Registration Deadline Oct. 20 - The 2025 Municipal Election is coming up on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Municipal and school board positions will be on the ballot, along with statewide judicial elections. Voters will fill one open position each on the Commonwealth and Superior courts and consider retention of three Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices and two appellate court judges. 

If you are not already registered to vote, the deadline to do so is Monday, Oct. 20. You may register in person at your county elections office, by mail or by visiting the state’s online voter registration website, pavoterservices.pa.gov. 

To be eligible to vote, you must be a citizen of the United States for at least one month before the election; a resident of the election district in which you register to vote for at least 30 days before the election; and at least 18 years of age on or before the date of the election. 

For more information about voting in the Commonwealth, including how to check your registration and voting location, visit vote.pa.gov. 

Medicare Open Enrollment Begins This Week; Beware of Scams - The annual open enrollment period for Medicare beneficiaries begins Wednesday, Oct. 15, and continues through Sunday, Dec. 7. 

The Federal Trade Commission is reminding those eligible for Medicare coverage to use caution as scammers get more active around the open enrollment period in a quest to get money, information or both. To protect yourself:

• Ignore unexpected calls from anyone who demands you share Medicare, personal or financial information. Medicare will only ask you to verify information if you contact them first, and they won’t try to sell you anything or tell you to pay for your Medicare card. 
• Don’t rely on your caller ID. It might show Medicare’s name or phone number, but caller ID can be faked. To check it out, hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
• Get help to compare costs, coverage and plans. 

To help Medicare beneficiaries understand their options, the Pennsylvania Department of Aging offers free, objective health benefits counseling through Pennsylvania Medicare Education and Decision Insight (PA MEDI), which can be found at pa.gov or by calling the PA MEDI helpline at 800-783-7067. 

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month - According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, domestic violence affects an average of 24 people per minute. Statistics show one in four women (24.3%) and one in seven men (13.8%) aged 18 and older in the United States have been the victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month aims to help people recognize and put a stop to this pattern of abusive behavior used to establish power and control over an intimate partner, causing both physical and emotional harm. Victims may be subjected to abuse, harassment, threats, vandalism, trespassing, burglary, theft and stalking.  

As one of the most chronically underreported crimes, domestic violence affects men and women in all racial, ethnic, religious, educational, social and economic backgrounds. 

More information about domestic violence and services available to help victims is available on the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence website pcadv.org. 


Representative Jill Cooper
55th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Jordan Frei
724.875.8450
jfrei@pahousegop.com
RepJillCooper.com / Facebook.com/RepJillCooper