Bill > HB3935

This bill creates a comprehensive legal framework for addressing false reports to emergency services, establishing three distinct degrees of the offense with escalating penalties. Specifically, initiating a false report in the first degree is a Class B felony that occurs when a knowingly false report leads to a fatality, carrying a maximum punishment of 10 years' imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine. Initiating a false report in the second degree is a Class C felony that applies when a false report results in serious injury, harm to specific locations like schools or places of worship, or harm to public officials, with a maximum punishment of five years' imprisonment and/or a $125,000 fine. The existing law is renamed as initiating a false report in the third degree, which remains a Class A misdemeanor. For all three degrees, convicted individuals must repay response costs and make restitution to injured parties. The bill also modifies related statutes to incorporate these new definitions, including provisions for juvenile accountability agreements and firearm loss reporting. The legislation will take effect 91 days after the adjournment of the 2025 regular legislative session, demonstrating a comprehensive approach to deterring and punishing false emergency reports that can waste critical resources and potentially endanger lives.