The bill introduces the crime of "swatting," which involves knowingly making a false or misleading report to a public safety agency about an ongoing emergency or threat of violence, with the intent to provoke an immediate response from that agency. This act is classified as a fourth-degree felony. Additionally, the bill amends the existing law regarding false reporting to law enforcement by specifying that it is unlawful for a person to intentionally make a false report alleging a violation of the Criminal Code, which is classified as a misdemeanor.

The bill also defines "public safety agency" to include law enforcement, firefighting, and emergency medical services agencies, as well as local communications facilities that handle 911 service communications. The amendments aim to strengthen penalties for false reporting and clarify the definitions related to public safety responses.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 30-20-16
JU substitute: 30-39-1