With schools reopening this week, a new law is being proposed to make the learning environment as safe as possible.
Under current New York law making a threat involving a bomb or hazardous substances, or threatening to start a fire on school grounds is a felony.
But falsely reporting other types of incidents, including those with guns, is only a misdemeanor. So State Senator Patrick Gallivan has introduced a bill that would make the practice a felony crime.
"Obviously the main purpose is to serve as a deterrent from this kind of behavior. But if in case somebody engages in that type of activity they'll be held accountable for it," Gallivan said.
The former Erie County Sheriff believes more threats are being revealed because of the growing use of social media.
"I think this is something that we've dealt more with in recent years then we did years ago when we didn't have this technology. And I think it's a matter, like in some other cases, of our laws catching up with technology."
Threatening violence in a school, Gallivan says, creates fear for students, teachers and parents. He says it also disrupts the learning process and puts an enormous strain on law enforcement.