FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSEBILLNO.1264
102NDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVEBLANDMANLOVE.
2063H.01I DANARADEMANMILLER,ChiefClerk
ANACT
Torepealsection575.080,RSMo,andtoenactinlieuthereofonenewsectionrelatingtothe
offenseofmakingafalsereport,withpenaltyprovisions.
BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
SectionA.Section575.080,RSMo,isrepealedandonenewsectionenactedinlieu
2thereof,tobeknownassection575.080,toreadasfollows:
575.080.1.Apersoncommitstheoffenseofmakingafalsereportifheorshe
2knowingly:
3 (1)Givesfalseinformationtoanypersonforthepurposeofimplicatinganother
4personinanoffense;or
5 (2)Makesafalsereporttoalawenforcementofficerthatanoffensehasoccurredor
6isabouttooccur;or
7 (3)Makesafalsereportorcausesafalsereporttobemadetoalawenforcement
8officer,securityofficer,firedepartmentorotherorganization,officialorvolunteer,[which
9dealswithemergenciesinvolvingdangertolifeorpropertythatafireorotherincidentcalling
10foranemergencyresponsehasoccurredorisabouttooccur] withrecklessdisregardof
11causingbodilyharmtoanypersonasadirectresultofanemergencyresponse.
12 2.Itisadefensetoaprosecutionundersubsection1ofthissectionthattheperson
13retractedthefalsestatementorreportbeforethelawenforcementofficeroranyotherperson
14tooksubstantialactioninreliancethereon.
15 3.Thedefendantshallhavetheburdenofinjectingtheissueofretractionunder
16subsection2ofthissection.
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 17 4.TheoffenseofmakingafalsereportisaclassBmisdemeanorifthereportisa
18falsereportofamisdemeanoroffense.
19 5.TheoffenseofmakingafalsereportisaclassCfelonyifthereportisafalse
20reportofafelonyoffense.
21 6.TheoffenseofmakingafalsereportisaclassBfelonyifthefalsereport
22resultsindeathorgrievousbodilyinjuryasaproximateresultoflawfulconductarising
23outofthatresponse.
24 7.Anypersonconvictedofaviolationpursuanttothissectionmaybeliablefor
25thereasonablecostsofanyemergencyresponseresultingfromthefalsereport.
26 8.Aviolationofthissectionmaybeprosecutedinanyjurisdictionwherethe
27defendantmadethefalsereport,thecountywherethefalsereportwascommunicatedto
28lawenforcement,orthecountywherelawenforcementrespondedtothefalsereport.
29 9.(1)Apersonundereighteenyearsofagewhoviolatesthissectionisguiltyof
30aninfractionforthefirstoffense.Suchpersonmustappearbeforeajuvenilecourtin
31thejurisdictionwhereheorshemadethefalsereport,thecountywherethefalsereport
32wascommunicatedtolawenforcement,orthecountywherelawenforcementresponded
33tothefalsereport.Inlieuofappearingincourt,theminormaycompletethirtyhoursof
34communityserviceworkorpayafinenottoexceedtwohundredfiftydollars.
35 (2)Forasecondorsubsequentviolationofthissection,apersonundereighteen
36yearsofageshallbeguiltyofaclassCmisdemeanor.
37 10.Nothinginthissectionshallbeconstruedtoimposeliabilityonapersonwho
38contactslawenforcementforthepurposeof,orinconnectionto,thereportingof
39unlawfulconductorconflictwiththeCommunicationDecencyAct,47U.S.C.Section
40230,ortheCivilRightsAct,42U.S.C.Section1983.
41 11.Apersonwhoisavictimofanoffenseunderthissectionmaybringacivil
42actionagainstthepersonwhocommittedtheoffenseofmakingafalsereportandmay
43recoverdamagesoranyotherequitablerelief,includingreasonableattorney'sfees.
44 12.Anypersonwhoisfoundliableunderthissectionshallbejointlyand
45severallyliablewithanyotherperson,ifany,whoisfoundliableunderthissectionfor
46damagesarisingfromthesameviolationofthissection.
47 13.Anypersonwhomakesafalsereportinviolationofthissectionforthe
48purposeof:
49 (1)Infringingonanotherperson'srightundertheMissouriorUnitedStates
50Constitution;
51 (2)Unlawfullydiscriminatingagainstanotherperson;
52 (3)Causinganotherpersontobeexpelledfromaplaceinwhichsuchpersonis
53lawfullylocated;or
HB1264 2 54 (4)Damaginganotherperson's:
55 (a)Reputationorstandingwithinthecommunity;or
56 (b)Financial,economic,consumer,orbusinessprospectsorinterests
57
58mayberequiredtopaypunitivedamagestothevictiminadditiontoanyotherdamages
59allowedundersubsection11ofthissection.
60 14.Asusedinthissection,"emergency"shallmeananyconditionthatresultsin,
61orislikelytoresultin,theresponseofapublicofficialinanauthorizedemergency
62vehicle,aircraft,orvesselorthatjeopardizesorislikelytojeopardizepublicsafetyand
63resultsin,orislikelytoresultin,theevacuationofanyarea,building,structure,vehicle,
64orofanyotherplacethatanyindividualmayenter.
âś”
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