FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSEBILLNO.302
102NDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVEROBERTS.
0683H.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.
17 4.TheoffenseofmakingafalsereportisaclassBmisdemeanor.
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 18 5.TheoffenseofmakingafalsereportisaclassEfelonyifthereportisafalse
19reportofafelonyoffenseasoutlinedinsubdivision(3)ofsubsection1ofthissection.
20 6.TheoffenseofmakingafalsereportisaclassBfelonyifthefalsereport
21resultsindeathorseriousphysicalinjuryasaproximateresultoflawfulconductarising
22outofthatresponse.
23 7.Anypersonconvictedofaviolationpursuanttothissectionmaybeliablefor
24thereasonablecostsofanyemergencyresponseresultingfromthefalsereport.
25 8.Aviolationofthissectionmaybeprosecutedinanyjurisdictionwherethe
26defendantmadethefalsereport,thecountywherethefalsereportwascommunicatedto
27lawenforcement,orthecountywherelawenforcementrespondedtothefalsereport.
28 9.(1)Insuchcaseswhenachild,asdefinedundersection211.021,violatesthis
29section,suchchildisguiltyofastatusoffenseforthefirstoffense.Suchchildmust
30appearbeforeajuvenilecourtinthejurisdictionwhereheorshemadethefalsereport,
31thecountywherethefalsereportwascommunicatedtolawenforcement,orthecounty
32wherelawenforcementrespondedtothefalsereport.Inlieuofappearingincourt,the
33childmaycompletethirtyhoursofcommunityserviceworkorpayafinenottoexceed
34twohundredfiftydollars.
35 (2)Forasecondorsubsequentviolationofthissection,achild,asdefinedunder
36section211.021,shallbeguiltyofaclassCmisdemeanor.
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'srightsundertheMissouriorUnitedStates
50Constitution;
51 (2)Unlawfullydiscriminatingagainstanotherperson;
52 (3)Causinganotherpersontobeexpelledfromaplaceinwhichsuchpersonis
53lawfullylocated;or
54 (4)Damaginganotherperson's:
HB302 2 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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