CS/CS/HB 279: False Reporting
GENERAL BILL by Judiciary Committee ; Criminal Justice Subcommittee ; Partington ; (CO-INTRODUCERS) Baker ; Gottlieb ; López, J. ; Salzman
False Reporting; Provides enhanced criminal penalties for specified violation relating to use of emergency communications services which results in great bodily harm, permanent disfigurement, permanent disability, or death; revises requirements for specified violation relating to continued misuse of emergency communications services; provides that conviction includes determination of guilt regardless of whether adjudication is withheld or plea of nolo contendere is entered; requires courts to order person convicted of violation to pay costs of prosecution & investigation & restitution for certain damages & injuries; requires courts to order person convicted of violation to pay costs of prosecution & investigation & restitution for certain damages & injuries; ranking offenses on offense severity ranking chart of Criminal Punishment Code.
Last Action: 5/19/2025 - Signed by Officers and presented to Governor
Bill Text: PDF
- Rules (RC)
-
Bill History
Date Chamber Action 1/28/2025 House • Filed
2/6/2025 House • Referred to Criminal Justice Subcommittee
• Referred to Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee
• Referred to Judiciary Committee
• Now in Criminal Justice Subcommittee
3/4/2025 House • 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
3/10/2025 House • Added to Criminal Justice Subcommittee agenda
3/12/2025 House • Favorable with CS by Criminal Justice Subcommittee
• Reported out of Criminal Justice Subcommittee
3/13/2025 House • Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)
• CS Filed
• 1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)
3/14/2025 House • Referred to Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee
• Referred to Judiciary Committee
• Now in Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee
3/17/2025 House • Added to Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee agenda
3/19/2025 House • Favorable by Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee
3/20/2025 House • Reported out of Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee
• Now in Judiciary Committee
4/4/2025 House • PCS added to Judiciary Committee agenda
4/8/2025 House • Favorable with CS by Judiciary Committee
• Reported out of Judiciary Committee
• Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)
• CS Filed
• 1st Reading (Committee Substitute 2)
4/9/2025 House • Bill referred to House Calendar
• Added to Second Reading Calendar
4/10/2025 House • Bill added to Special Order Calendar (4/16/2025)
4/16/2025 House • Read 2nd time
• Placed on 3rd reading
• Added to Third Reading Calendar
• Read 3rd time
• CS passed; YEAS 115, NAYS 0
4/16/2025 Senate • In Messages
• Referred to Rules
4/22/2025 Senate • Received
4/23/2025 Senate • Withdrawn from Rules -SJ 481
• Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
• Substituted for SB 726 -SJ 481
• Read 2nd time -SJ 481
• Read 3rd time -SJ 481
• CS passed; YEAS 38 NAYS 0 -SJ 481
4/23/2025 House • In Messages
• Ordered enrolled
5/19/2025 • Signed by Officers and presented to Governor
-
CS/CS/HB 279, Enrolled (Current Bill Version) Posted 4/23/2025 at 12:15 PM
Bill Text: PDF Analyses: None Related Bills (2)
Bill Number Subject Filed By Relationship Last Action and Location Track Bills S 278 Misuse of Emergency Communications Systems Wright Compare Last Action: 5/3/2025 S Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration 
S 726 False Reporting Ingoglia Compare Last Action: 4/23/2025 S Laid on Table, refer to CS/CS/HB 279 -SJ 481
Citations - Statutes (3)
Citation Catchline Location in Bill Location In Bill Help 365.172 Emergency communications. Page 2 (pdf) 837.05 False reports to law enforcement authorities. Page 4 (pdf) 921.0022 Criminal Punishment Code; offense severity ranking chart. Page 4 (pdf) -
CS/CS/HB 279, Committee Substitute 2 Posted 4/8/2025 at 2:18 PM
Bill Text: PDF Analyses: Judiciary Committee (Post-Meeting) 4/8/2025 (pdf)
Related Bills (2)
Bill Number Subject Filed By Relationship Last Action and Location Track Bills S 278 Misuse of Emergency Communications Systems Wright Compare Last Action: 5/3/2025 S Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration
S 726 False Reporting Ingoglia Compare Last Action: 4/23/2025 S Laid on Table, refer to CS/CS/HB 279 -SJ 481
Floor Votes (2)
Date Chamber Result 4/16/2025 3:01 PM House 115 Yeas - 0 Nays 4/23/2025 10:32 AM Senate 38 Yeas - 0 Nays Citations - Statutes (3)
Citation Catchline Location in Bill Location In Bill Help 365.172 Emergency communications. Page 2 (pdf) 837.05 False reports to law enforcement authorities. Page 4 (pdf) 921.0022 Criminal Punishment Code; offense severity ranking chart. Page 4 (pdf) -
CS/HB 279, Committee Substitute 1 Posted 3/13/2025 at 12:16 PM
Bill Text: PDF Analyses: Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee (Post-Meeting) 3/20/2025 (pdf)
Related Bills (2)
Bill Number Subject Filed By Relationship Last Action and Location Track Bills S 278 Misuse of Emergency Communications Systems Wright Similar Last Action: 5/3/2025 S Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration
S 726 False Reporting Ingoglia Compare Last Action: 4/23/2025 S Laid on Table, refer to CS/CS/HB 279 -SJ 481
Citations - Statutes (2)
Citation Catchline Location in Bill Location In Bill Help 365.172 Emergency communications. Page 1 (pdf) 921.0022 Criminal Punishment Code; offense severity ranking chart. Page 3 (pdf) -
HB 279, Original Filed Version Posted 1/28/2025 at 1:35 PM
Bill Text: PDF Analyses: Criminal Justice Subcommittee (Post-Meeting) 5/5/2025 (pdf)
Related Bills (2)
Bill Number Subject Filed By Relationship Last Action and Location Track Bills S 278 Misuse of Emergency Communications Systems Wright Identical Last Action: 5/3/2025 S Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration
S 726 False Reporting Ingoglia Compare Last Action: 4/23/2025 S Laid on Table, refer to CS/CS/HB 279 -SJ 481
Committee Amendments (1)
Amendment Sponsor Filed Last Committee Action Format 297773 - Amendment
Remove lines 34-54 and insertPartington 3/11/2025
12:59 PMPDF Citations - Statutes (1)
Citation Catchline Location in Bill Location In Bill Help 365.172 Emergency communications. Page 1 (pdf)