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Bill

A 9586

Relates to the crimes of falsely reporting an incident in the first and second degrees

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Michael Cashman

The bill strengthens penalties for knowingly making false emergency reports, including to officials and on school grounds, when likely to cause public alarm or disruption.

REPORTED REFERRED TO RULES
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Bill Summary · A 9586

Summary of Bill A. 9586 (2025-2026) – New York

Purpose and intent

  • The bill amends the Penal Law to strengthen penalties and clarify the offenses related to falsely reporting emergencies, particularly those involving fires, explosions, hazardous substance releases, or the use of deadly weapons or dangerous instruments.
  • It adds and tightens elements for first- and second-degree false reporting and expands coverage to school grounds in specific circumstances.

Key provisions and changes

  • Amendments to false reporting in first and second degrees (Penal Law § 240.55, subdivisions 1–2):

    • Subdivision 1 (first-degree false reporting):
    • Increases or clarifies the act of initiating or circulating a false report or warning about an alleged or impending fire, explosion, hazardous substance release, or use of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument.
    • Requires that the false report be made under circumstances where it is not unlikely that public alarm or inconvenience will result.
    • Subdivision 2 (second-degree false reporting to officials):
    • Covers reporting to any official or quasi-official emergency management agency or organization.
    • Applies to false reports about fires, explosions, hazardous substance releases, or the use of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument, whether the report did occur or does exist in fact.

  • Hazardous school grounds provision (Penal Law § 240.60, subdivision 5):

    • Adds or clarifies that a person, knowing the information is false or baseless and under circumstances likely to cause public alarm, initiates or circulates a report or warning about an alleged or impending fire, explosion, hazardous substance release, or use of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument on school grounds when it is likely that people are present on those grounds.

  • Substantive standard:

    • The individuals must knowingly report or circulate false information.
    • The conduct must be likely to cause public alarm or inconvenience (except where specified otherwise).

Who/what is affected

  • Individuals committing false reports:

    • Persons who initiate or circulate false reports about fires, explosions, hazardous substance releases, or deadly weapons/dangerous instruments.
    • Individuals who report false information to emergency response officials or agencies.
    • Individuals who knowingly report such false information on school grounds where people are present.

  • Affected entities:

    • Law enforcement, fire departments, emergency management agencies, and other official or quasi-official emergency response organizations.
    • School communities and school safety environments due to the school-ground provision.

Procedural and timeline notes

  • Effective date: The act takes effect on the sixtieth day after it becomes law.
  • Status/Actions: As of the latest available record, the bill has been introduced (January 21, 2026), referred to the Codes Committee, with a later action history indicating referral to Rules on May 20, 2026.
  • Severability: Contains a standard severability clause to ensure the rest of the act remains in effect if any provision is struck down.

Practical implications

  • The bill clarifies and potentially tightens penalties for false reporting, with heightened emphasis on incidents that could cause public alarm, inconvenience, or risk on school grounds.
  • It aims to deter misuse of emergency reporting systems by imposing accountability on false or baseless reports and ensuring those reports to official agencies are subject to proof of falsity or baselessness regarding the surrounding circumstances.
  • By including school grounds, the bill acknowledges the heightened risk and disruption associated with false alarms in educational settings.

If you would like, I can provide a plain-language example scenario illustrating how the new provisions would apply in a hypothetical incident.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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