Florida Senate - 2025 SB 726
By Senator Ingoglia
11-00303-25 2025726__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to false reporting; amending s.
3 365.172, F.S.; providing that a person who misuses
4 emergency communication systems is liable for the
5 costs of prosecution and investigation; amending s.
6 837.05, F.S.; providing that a person who makes a
7 false report to law enforcement authorities is liable
8 for the costs of prosecution and investigation;
9 providing that such persons are also liable for
10 restitution if the false report involves another
11 person who sustained injuries or property damage as a
12 result of the false report; reenacting s.
13 943.082(2)(c), F.S., relating to the School Safety
14 Awareness Program, to incorporate the amendment made
15 to s. 837.05, F.S., in a reference thereto; providing
16 an effective date.
17
18 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
19
20 Section 1. Subsection (14) of section 365.172, Florida
21 Statutes, is amended to read:
22 365.172 Emergency communications.—
23 (14) MISUSE OF 911, E911, OR NG911 SYSTEM; PENALTY.—911,
24 E911, and NG911 service must be used solely for emergency
25 communications by the public. Any person who accesses the number
26 911 for the purpose of making a false alarm or complaint or
27 reporting false information that could result in the emergency
28 response of any public safety agency; any person who knowingly
29 uses or attempts to use such service for a purpose other than
30 obtaining public safety assistance; or any person who knowingly
31 uses or attempts to use such service in an effort to avoid any
32 charge for service, commits a misdemeanor of the first degree,
33 punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. After being
34 convicted of unauthorized use of such service four times, a
35 person who continues to engage in such unauthorized use commits
36 a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s.
37 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. A person who violates this
38 subsection is liable for the costs of prosecution and
39 investigation under s. 938.27. In addition, if the value of the
40 service or the service charge obtained in a manner prohibited by
41 this subsection exceeds $100, the person committing the offense
42 commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in
43 s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
44 Section 2. Subsections (3) and (4) are added to section
45 837.05, Florida Statutes, to read:
46 837.05 False reports to law enforcement authorities.—
47 (3) A person who violates this section is liable for the
48 costs of prosecution and investigation under s. 938.27.
49 (4) A person who violates this section is liable for
50 restitution under s. 775.089 if the false report involves
51 another person who sustained injury or property damage during
52 the investigation stemming from such false report.
53 Section 3. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
54 made by this act to section 837.05, Florida Statutes, in a
55 reference thereto, paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of section
56 943.082, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read:
57 943.082 School Safety Awareness Program.—
58 (2) The reporting tool must notify the reporting party of
59 the following information:
60 (c) That if, following an investigation, it is determined
61 that a person knowingly submitted a false tip through FortifyFL,
62 the Internet protocol (IP) address of the device on which the
63 tip was submitted will be provided to law enforcement agencies
64 for further investigation and the reporting party may be subject
65 to criminal penalties under s. 837.05. In all other
66 circumstances, unless the reporting party has chosen to disclose
67 his or her identity, the report will remain anonymous.
68 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.