The bill amends Section 13A-10-9 of the Code of Alabama 1975 to expand the definition of the crime of false reporting to include knowingly making or causing the transmission of a false report to local, state, or federal law enforcement authorities. The bill specifies that false reporting is a Class A misdemeanor, but it escalates the offense to a Class C felony if the false report alleges imminent danger to a person or the public.

Additionally, the bill mandates that a person convicted of false reporting, which results in an emergency response or investigation, must pay restitution for the expenses incurred by any responding local, state, or federal law enforcement or assisting governmental agency. This includes reasonable costs directly incurred, such as those for police, firefighting, and emergency medical services, as well as the personnel costs of responders. The bill is set to become effective on October 1, 2024, and is excluded from the requirements under Section 111.05 of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, which pertains to new or increased expenditure of local funds, because it defines a new crime or amends the definition of an existing crime.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 13A-10-9
Engrossed: 13A-10-9
Enrolled: 13A-10-9