AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE (Makes it a felony to file a false police report of a crime carrying a sentence of imprisonment of not less than five (5) years.)

S2398

2026 -- S 2398
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LC004357
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE

Introduced By:
Senators Dimitri, Famiglietti, Patalano, Appollonio, Tikoian, Thompson,
Burke, Rogers, and Paolino

Date Introduced:
January 30, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 11-32-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-32 entitled "Obstructing
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Justice" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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11-32-2. False report of crime.
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(a)
Every person who shall knowingly make or cause to be made a false statement of a
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crime, either oral or written, with intent that it be relied upon by a police officer of any city or town
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or by any member of the state police, shall be deemed guilty of obstructing an officer and shall be
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imprisoned not exceeding one year and/or be fined not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500), and
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shall in addition to this imprisonment and/or fine be ordered to make restitution to the person falsely
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accused of a crime for any damage which the person sustained as a result of the false complaint.
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(b) Every person who shall knowingly make or cause to be made a false statement of a
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crime that carries a sentence of imprisonment of not less than five (5) years nor more than twenty
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(20) years, either oral or written, with intent that it be relied upon by a police officer of any city or
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town or by any member of the state police, shall be deemed guilty of a felony and, upon conviction,
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shall be imprisoned not less than one year nor more than five (5) years.
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(c) Every person who shall knowingly make or cause to be made a false statement of a
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crime that carries a sentence of imprisonment of not less than twenty (20) years, either oral or
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written, with intent that it be relied upon by a police officer of any city or town or by any member
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of the state police, shall be deemed guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, shall be imprisoned not
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less than five (5) years nor more than twenty (20) years.

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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE
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This act would make it a felony to file a false police report of a crime carrying a sentence
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of imprisonment of not less than five (5) years nor more than twenty (20) years, and would carry a
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sentence of imprisonment of not less than one year nor more than five (5) years for filing such false
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report. This act would further make it a felony to file a false police report of a crime carrying a
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sentence of imprisonment of twenty (20) years or more, and would carry a sentence of
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imprisonment of not less than five (5) years nor more than twenty (20) years for filing such false
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report.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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