Bills · HR 286
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
House BillHR 286Civil actions and liabilityFirst responders and emergency personnel
Preserving Safe Communities by Ending Swatting Act of 2025
INTRO JAN 9· LAST ACTION JAN 9
READING
3MIN
COSPONSORS
28BIPARTISAN
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenSwatting is a dangerous hoax where someone calls emergency services with a false report of a serious crime or emergency, leading to a heavily armed police or emergency response at an innocent person's address. This bill directly addresses the growing problem of swatting, which has led to injuries, deaths, significant emotional distress for victims, and the diversion of critical emergency resources from actual emergencies.
If this bill becomes law, it would create much tougher, uniform federal penalties for those who engage in swatting, potentially deterring future incidents and providing a way for emergency services to recover wasted costs. This could lead to a safer environment by reducing the frequency of these dangerous pranks and ensuring that emergency responders are available for legitimate crises. If it doesn't become law, the legal consequences for swatting might remain less severe or vary widely depending on state laws, potentially allowing the dangerous practice to continue without a strong, unified federal deterrent.
KEY PROVISIONS
4AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Establishes new or enhanced federal criminal penalties for making false communications that cause an emergency response, commonly known as 'swatting'.
This aims to deter individuals from engaging in swatting by making it a serious federal crime with significant jail time.
PROVISION 02
Imposes harsher criminal penalties, up to life imprisonment, if serious bodily injury or death occurs as a result of a false emergency communication.
This provision underscores the severe consequences of swatting and seeks to hold perpetrators accountable for the most tragic outcomes.
PROVISION 03
Creates civil liability, allowing emergency response agencies and other affected parties to sue individuals who make false emergency calls to recover response costs.
This ensures that those who cause the misuse of emergency resources can be held financially responsible for the expenses incurred.
PROVISION 04
Defines 'emergency response' to include various public safety actions, such as deploying personnel, issuing evacuation orders, or public warnings.
This clarifies the scope of actions that would trigger the criminal and civil penalties outlined in the bill.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 28
R· Tennessee
YRS IN OFFICE
9
BILLS LED
31
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 64%
DEM 9 REP 19 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTSJAN 9
Introduced in House
JAN 9
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Bill
NumberHR 286
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedJan 9, 2025
Last actionJan 9, 2025
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · JUDICIARY COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED JAN 9, 2025
House BillHR 286Civil actions and liabilityFirst responders and emergency personnel
Preserving Safe Communities by Ending Swatting Act of 2025
INTRODUCED JAN 9, 2025· LAST ACTION JAN 9, 2025
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
3 min
COSPONSORS
28
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
