Crime of swatting., the official text

First Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2025)

PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type,
additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.

 Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional
provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the
word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds
a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
 Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts
between statutes enacted by the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly.

  SENATE ENROLLED ACT No. 198

   AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning criminal law and
procedure.

   Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:

   SECTION 1. IC 35-44.1-2-3, AS AMENDED BY P.L.104-2024,
SECTION 44, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 3. (a) As used in this section, "consumer product"
has the meaning set forth in IC 35-45-8-1.

   (b) As used in this section, "misconduct" means a violation of a
departmental rule or procedure of a law enforcement agency.

   (c) A person who reports that:
      (1) the person or another person has placed or intends to place an
      explosive, a destructive device, or other destructive substance in
      a building or transportation facility;
      (2) there has been or there will be tampering with a consumer
      product introduced into commerce; or
      (3) there has been or will be placed or introduced a weapon of
      mass destruction in a building or a place of assembly;

knowing the report to be false, commits false reporting, a Level 6
felony.

   (d) A person who:
      (1) gives:
         (A) a false report of the commission of a crime; or
         (B) false information to a law enforcement officer that relates
         to the commission of a crime;

SEA 198 — Concur
                                    2

      knowing the report or information to be false;
      (2) gives a false alarm of fire to the fire department of a
      governmental entity, knowing the alarm to be false;
      (3) makes a false request for ambulance service to an ambulance
      service provider, knowing the request to be false;
      (4) gives a false report concerning a missing child (as defined in
      IC 10-13-5-4), missing veteran at risk (as defined in
      IC 12-7-2-197.3), or missing endangered adult (as defined in
      IC 12-7-2-131.3) or gives false information to a law enforcement
      officer or a governmental entity that relates to a missing child,
      missing veteran at risk, or missing endangered adult knowing the
      report or information to be false;
      (5) makes a complaint against a law enforcement officer to the
      state or municipality (as defined in IC 8-1-13-3(b)) that employs
      the officer:

         (A) alleging the officer engaged in misconduct while
         performing the officer's duties; and
         (B) knowing the complaint to be false;
      (6) makes a false report of a missing person, knowing the report
      or information is false;
      (7) gives a false report of actions, behavior, or conditions
      concerning:
         (A) a septic tank soil absorption system under IC 8-1-2-125 or
         IC 13-26-5-2.5; or
         (B) a septic tank soil absorption system or constructed wetland
         septic system under IC 36-9-23-30.1;
      knowing the report or information to be false; or
      (8) makes a false report that a person is dangerous (as defined in
      IC 35-47-14-1) knowing the report or information to be false;
commits false informing, a Class B misdemeanor except as provided
in subsection (e).
   (e) The offense described in subsection (d) is:
      (1) a Class A misdemeanor if it:
         (A) substantially hinders any law enforcement process,
         including by causing the dispatch of one (1) or more law
         enforcement officers;
         (B) results in harm to another person; or
         (C) is committed under subsection (d)(8);
      (2) a Level 6 felony if it:
         (A) is committed under subsection (d)(8); and
         (B) either:

            (i) substantially hinders any law enforcement process,

SEA 198 — Concur
                                    3

            including by causing the dispatch of one (1) or more law
            enforcement officers; or
            (ii) results in harm to another person; or
            (iii) would cause a reasonable person to feel terrorized,
            frightened, intimidated, or threatened; and
      (3) a Level 5 felony if it is committed under subsection (d)(8) and
      results in serious bodily injury or death to another person.

SEA 198 — Concur
President of the Senate

President Pro Tempore

Speaker of the House of Representatives

Governor of the State of Indiana

Date:                             Time:

SEA 198 — Concur