Sponsors (29)
The bill makes it easier for authorities to deter, prosecute, and recover costs from hoaxes that trigger emergency responses—improving public safety and cost recovery—but at the cost of expanded federal reach and potential chilling of speech and short‑term fiscal burdens on small/local responders.
Law enforcement and emergency responders can more readily prosecute or seek civil remedies against individuals who send hoaxes or false reports that trigger evacuations, warnings, or deployments, which should deter prank calls and reduce unnecessary emergency responses.
Taxpayers, federal and local governments can use civil enforcement (cost recovery and injunctions) against people who misuse mail or interstate commerce to trigger emergency responses, helping recoup expenses and limit repeat misuse.
People who make ambiguous, mistaken, or poorly phrased statements — including people with disabilities and immigrants — could face criminal or civil liability if their words 'may reasonably be believed,' creating significant free-speech and due-process risks.
Because the law covers use of mail and interstate commerce, it broadens federal jurisdiction and could criminalize conduct that merely crosses state lines, centralizing enforcement of local hoaxes and increasing federal involvement in what are often local matters.
Volunteer fire/rescue organizations and small local agencies may still face immediate response costs and resource strain before any civil cost recovery, imposing short-term fiscal pressure on nonprofits and local budgets.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Expands federal law to criminalize knowingly conveying false or misleading information via mail or interstate commerce that could reasonably cause emergency responses or allege violent/dangerous conduct.
Introduced January 9, 2025 by David Kustoff · Last progress January 9, 2025
Expands federal criminal and civil prohibitions on sending false or misleading information designed to prompt emergency responses or allege violent/dangerous conduct. The change makes it unlawful to knowingly convey false information—by any means including mail or interstate/foreign commerce—when the communication could reasonably be believed and indicate activity that would violate certain federal crimes or could reasonably be expected to cause an emergency response. Also defines “emergency response” to cover deployment of personnel or equipment, evacuation orders or advice, and official warnings issued by federal or state public-safety agencies or by private not-for-profit organizations that provide fire or rescue functions. The law focuses on preventing “swatting” and similar hoaxes by widening the range of covered communications and clarifying who and what counts as an emergency response.