2025 -- H 5442
========
LC001560
========
S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- PUBLIC UTILITIES
Introduced By: Representatives Fogarty, Carson, Cotter, Noret, Hull, Tanzi, Bennett,
Dawson, Cortvriend, and Shallcross Smith
Date Introduced: February 12, 2025
Referred To: House Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 11-35-18 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-35 entitled "Public 1
Utilities" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
11-35-18. Bomb threats and similar false reports. 3
(a) Whoever, knowing the report to be false, transmits or causes to be transmitted to any 4
person by telephone or other means a communication falsely reporting, warning, or threatening 5
either the location existence of any explosive or other dangerous substance or contrivance, or a 6
shooting or other dangerous event or happening, at a location, causing terror, anxiety, unrest, fear, 7
or personal discomfort by that false report, warning, or threat to any person or group of persons, or 8
prompting an evacuation or lockdown of a location or other law enforcement response, shall be 9
guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment at the adult correctional institutions for 10
not more than ten (10) years, or by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by 11
both fine and imprisonment. 12
(b) For any person charged under subsection (a) of this section, the court may consider any 13
factors, including whether the person poses a danger to any individual, the community, or the 14
defendant, when making bail determinations, and may impose any reasonable conditions or court 15
order, including, but not limited to: 16
(1) An extreme risk protection order pursuant to the provisions of chapter 8.3 of title 8; 17
(2) A no trespass order for any educational, religious, or public institution or building; 18
(3) A mental health assessment and/or a referral for mental health treatment; and/or 19
LC001560 - Page 2 of 3
(4) Substance abuse counseling. 1
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 2
========
LC001560
========
LC001560 - Page 3 of 3
EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- PUBLIC UTILITIES
***
This act would expand the meaning of bomb threats and false reports to include any 1
warning or threat of the existence of an explosive device and/or which that prompts a law 2
enforcement response and allows a judge to impose conditions of bail to include extreme risk 3
protection orders, no trespass orders and counseling. 4
This act would take effect upon passage. 5
========
LC001560
========