Senate
File
415
-
Introduced
SENATE
FILE
415
BY
CAMPBELL
,
GREEN
,
and
WESTRICH
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
relating
to
false
accusations
of
a
criminal
act,
and
1
providing
penalties.
2
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
3
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S.F.
415
Section
1.
Section
718.6,
subsection
2,
Code
2025,
is
1
amended
to
read
as
follows:
2
2.
a.
A
person
who
reports
or
causes
to
be
reported
false
3
information
to
a
fire
department,
a
law
enforcement
authority,
4
or
other
public
safety
entity,
knowing
that
the
information
is
5
false,
or
who
reports
the
alleged
occurrence
of
a
criminal
act,
6
knowing
the
act
did
not
occur,
commits
a
class
“D”
felony
if
7
the
alleged
criminal
act
reported
is
any
of
the
following:
8
a.
A
forcible
felony
under
section
702.11
.
9
b.
Intimidation
with
a
dangerous
weapon
under
section
708.6
.
10
c.
An
act
of
terrorism
under
chapter
708A
.
11
d.
Unlawful
possession
of
biological
agents
or
diseases
12
under
chapter
708B
.
13
e.
Any
offense
under
chapter
712
.
14
b.
Any
person
who
continues
to
make
allegations
of
an
15
alleged
occurrence
of
a
criminal
act
after
the
allegations
are
16
proven
to
be
false
may
be
charged
with
malicious
prosecution
17
under
section
720.6.
18
Sec.
2.
Section
720.6,
Code
2025,
is
amended
to
read
as
19
follows:
20
720.6
Malicious
prosecution.
21
A
person
who
causes
or
attempts
to
cause
another
to
be
22
indicted
or
prosecuted
for
any
public
offense,
having
no
23
reasonable
grounds
for
believing
that
the
person
committed
the
24
offense
commits
a
serious
an
aggravated
misdemeanor.
25
EXPLANATION
26
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
27
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
28
This
bill
relates
to
false
accusations
of
a
criminal
act.
29
Current
law
provides
that
a
person
who
reports
the
alleged
30
occurrence
of
a
criminal
act,
knowing
the
act
did
not
occur,
31
commits
a
class
“D”
felony
if
the
alleged
criminal
act
reported
32
is
a
forcible
felony,
intimidation
with
a
dangerous
weapon,
an
33
act
of
terrorism,
unlawful
possession
of
biological
agents
or
34
diseases,
or
any
arson
offense.
35
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S.F.
415
The
bill
provides
that
a
person
who
reports
the
alleged
1
occurrence
of
a
criminal
act,
knowing
the
act
did
not
occur,
2
commits
a
class
“D”
felony.
A
class
“D”
felony
is
punishable
3
by
confinement
for
no
more
than
five
years
and
a
fine
of
at
4
least
$1,025
but
not
more
than
$10,245.
5
The
bill
provides
that
any
person
who
continues
to
make
6
allegations
of
an
alleged
occurrence
of
a
criminal
act
after
7
the
allegations
are
proven
to
be
false
may
be
charged
with
8
malicious
prosecution
under
Code
section
720.6,
which
the
9
bill
changes
from
a
serious
misdemeanor
to
an
aggravated
10
misdemeanor.
An
aggravated
misdemeanor
is
punishable
by
11
confinement
for
no
more
than
two
years
and
a
fine
of
at
least
12
$855
but
not
more
than
$8,540.
13
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