Bill > S04776

This bill amends the New York Penal Law to expand the definition of falsely reporting an incident in the first and second degrees by specifically adding false reports involving the use of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument. Currently, the law covers false reports about fires, explosions, and hazardous substance releases, and this bill extends those provisions to include false claims about weapons. Under the amended law, a person can be charged with falsely reporting an incident if they initiate or circulate a false report about a weapon under circumstances likely to cause public alarm or inconvenience, or if they report to an emergency agency about a weapon incident that did not actually occur. The bill also updates language related to such false reports made on school grounds, replacing gender-specific pronouns with more neutral language. The changes aim to provide clearer legal grounds for prosecuting individuals who make false weapon-related reports that could potentially cause public panic or unnecessarily divert emergency resources. The bill will take effect 60 days after becoming law, and includes a severability clause to ensure that if any part of the law is found invalid, the rest of the statute remains in effect.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S4776