Preserving Safe Communities by Ending Swatting Act of 2025

Summary

Expands federal criminal and civil law to cover people who knowingly convey false or misleading information that could reasonably be expected to trigger an emergency response. It broadens the law to include statements sent by mail or any facility or means of interstate or foreign commerce and adds a statutory definition of "emergency response," which covers deployments of personnel or equipment and public warnings by government or eligible private rescue organizations.

• Expands criminal prohibition on conveying false or misleading information intended to cause emergency responses to include interstate/foreign commerce communications.
• Creates a parallel civil cause of action for the same categories of false or misleading communications.
• Defines "emergency response" to cover personnel/equipment deployments, evacuation orders/advice, and public or targeted warnings.
• Includes emergency actions by state/federal public-safety agencies and private not-for-profit fire/rescue organizations in the definition.
• Covers communications that could reasonably be believed and that indicate criminal or dangerous conduct affecting public safety.
• Broadens prosecutorial and civil reach to cover mail, phone, internet, and other cross-jurisdictional methods of transmitting false reports.
• Does not appropriate funds or create new agencies—changes are limited to statute language for criminal and civil liability.