Bill > HB268

This bill modifies the criminal penalties for making false reports and establishes more specific restitution requirements in Texas law. It increases the severity of criminal charges for false reporting depending on the type of emergency reported: a false report about public services like transportation, water, gas, or power supply will now be considered a state jail felony, while a false report involving educational institutions (including public or private schools and colleges) will be classified as a third-degree felony. The bill also expands the court's ability to order restitution, allowing defendants convicted of making false reports to be required to pay for the reasonable costs of emergency response by affected entities. These changes aim to deter false reporting and ensure that individuals who cause unnecessary emergency responses bear the financial consequences of their actions. The modifications will apply only to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025, with previous offenses continuing to be governed by the law in effect at the time they were committed.

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https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB268