Crimes: false reporting.

Crime Education

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Ta
Last action: 2025-08-29
Official status: In committee: Held under submission.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact penalties and jail times are not specified in the bill text or summary.

Making False Emergency Reports More Serious

AB-327 increases the penalties for making false emergency reports, especially if they result in unnecessary responses from emergency services.

What This Bill Does

Makes a second or later false report of an emergency punishable as either a misdemeanor or felony if the person was at least 18 years old when they committed the prior offense.
Extends liability for property damage caused by the emergency response to individuals who make false reports.

Who It Names or Affects

People who make false reports of emergencies
Public agencies that respond to these false reports

Terms To Know

False reporting: Deliberately telling a lie about an emergency situation.
Felony: A serious crime that can lead to more jail time than a misdemeanor.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify the exact penalties or jail time for making false reports.
Does not address what happens if the person was younger than 18 when they made their first false report.

Bill History

2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
In committee: Held under submission.
2025-08-18 California Legislative Information
In committee: Referred to suspense file.
2025-07-16 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-07-15 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (July 15).
2025-06-18 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
2025-06-04 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-06-03 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 71. Noes 0. Page 1969.)
2025-05-27 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).
2025-04-09 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
2025-03-06 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-03-05 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended.
2025-03-04 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (March 4).
2025-02-10 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
2025-01-28 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee February 27.
2025-01-27 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 327, as amended, Ta.
Crimes: false reporting.
Existing law makes it a misdemeanor to report an emergency to specified government entities knowing that report to be false. Existing law makes it a misdemeanor to initiate communication with the 911 emergency system with the intent to annoy or harass another person.
This bill would make a 2nd or subsequent violation of these
provisions
provisions, and which results in an unnecessary emergency response,
punishable as a misdemeanor or felony for a person who was 18 years of age or older at the time the person committed the prior offense or offenses. By increasing the penalty for existing crimes, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
Existing law makes an individual convicted of the crimes described above liable to a public agency for the reasonable costs of an emergency response by the public agency.
The bill would extend those liability provisions to property damage incurred as a result of the emergency response.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF