Senate File 2161 - Introduced SENATE FILE 2161 BY COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 3026) A BILL FOR An Act relating to false reports to or communications with 1 public safety entities, and providing penalties. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5339SV (1) 90 as/js

S.F. 2161 Section 1. Section 718.6, Code 2024, is amended to read as 1 follows: 2 718.6 False reports to or communications with public safety 3 entities. 4 1. A Except as provided in subsection 2, a person who 5 reports or causes to be reported false information to a fire 6 department, a law enforcement authority, or other public safety 7 entity, knowing that the information is false, or who reports 8 the alleged occurrence of a criminal act , knowing the act did 9 not occur, commits a simple misdemeanor , unless the alleged 10 criminal act reported is a serious or aggravated misdemeanor or 11 felony, in which case the person commits a serious misdemeanor. 12 2. A person who reports or causes to be reported false 13 information to a fire department, a law enforcement authority, 14 or other public safety entity, knowing that the information is 15 false, or who reports the alleged occurrence of a criminal act, 16 knowing the act did not occur, commits a class “D” felony if 17 the alleged criminal act reported is any of the following: 18 a. A forcible felony under section 702.11. 19 b. Intimidation with a dangerous weapon under section 708.6. 20 c. An act of terrorism under chapter 708A. 21 d. Unlawful possession of biological agents or diseases 22 under chapter 708B. 23 e. Any offense under chapter 712. 24 3. If the reported false information involves a criminal 25 act under subsection 2 and the reported false information 26 results in serious bodily injury to or the death of another 27 person, the person reporting the false information commits a 28 class “C” felony. For purposes of this subsection, a person 29 causes serious bodily injury or death when the report of false 30 information contributes to the other person’s serious bodily 31 injury or death. 32 2. 4. A Except as provided in subsection 2, a person who 33 telephones an emergency 911 communications center , knowing 34 that the person is not reporting an emergency or otherwise 35 -1- LSB 5339SV (1) 90 as/js 1/ 3

S.F. 2161 needing emergency information or assistance , commits a simple 1 misdemeanor. 2 3. 5. A Except as provided in subsection 2, a person who 3 knowingly provides false information to a law enforcement 4 officer who enters the information on a citation commits a 5 simple misdemeanor , unless the criminal act for which the 6 citation is issued is a serious or aggravated misdemeanor or 7 felony, in which case the person commits a serious misdemeanor. 8 EXPLANATION 9 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 10 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 11 This bill relates to false reports to or communications with 12 public safety entities. 13 Under current law, a person who reports or causes to 14 be reported false information to a fire department, a law 15 enforcement authority, or other public safety entity, knowing 16 that the information is false, commits either a simple 17 misdemeanor or a serious misdemeanor depending upon the method 18 of making the false report, or the seriousness of the falsely 19 reported criminal act. 20 The bill provides that a person who reports or causes to 21 be reported false information to a fire department, a law 22 enforcement authority, or other public safety entity, knowing 23 that the information is false, or who reports the alleged 24 occurrence of a criminal act, knowing the act did not occur, 25 commits a class “D” felony if the falsely reported criminal act 26 is any of the following: a forcible felony under Code section 27 702.11, intimidation with a dangerous weapon under Code section 28 708.6, an act of terrorism under Code chapter 708A, unlawful 29 possession of biological agents or diseases under Code chapter 30 708B, and any offense under Code chapter 712 (concerning arson, 31 explosive materials, and destructive devices). If the falsely 32 reported information involves one of the listed criminal acts 33 and the false report results in another person experiencing 34 serious bodily injury or death, the person reporting the false 35 -2- LSB 5339SV (1) 90 as/js 2/ 3

S.F. 2161 information commits a class “C” felony. The bill provides that 1 a person causes serious bodily injury or death when the report 2 of false information contributes to the other person’s serious 3 bodily injury or death. 4 A class “D” felony is punishable by confinement for no more 5 than five years and a fine of at least $1,025 but not more than 6 $10,245. A class “C” felony is punishable by confinement for 7 no more than 10 years and a fine of at least $1,370 but not more 8 than $13,660. 9 -3- LSB 5339SV (1) 90 as/js 3/ 3