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A 3621

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

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Judy Griffin and 1 co-sponsor

Establishes two degrees of crimes for knowingly false reports to police, fire, or emergency services; enacting clause struck, so the bill did not become law.

ENACTING CLAUSE STRICKEN
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Bill Summary · A 3621

Summary of New York A 3621 (2025)

Overview

  • Title: Relates to the crimes of falsely reporting an incident in the first and second degrees
  • Bill number: A 3621
  • Primary sponsor: Billy Jones; cosponsor: Judy Griffin
  • Purpose (as indicated by title): Establishes crimes for falsely reporting an incident, with separate offenses in the first and second degrees
  • Related legislation: Companion bill in the Senate (S 4776) and a prior-session bill A 6763

Status and timeline

  • Introduced: January 29, 2025
  • Referred to: Codes (January 29, 2025)
  • Legislative actions (noting repeated entries):
    • January 29, 2025: Referred to CODES
    • September 8, 2025: Enacting clause struck (two entries)
  • Current status: ENACTING CLAUSE STRICKEN
    • Explanation: The “enacting clause” is the clause that would formally enact the bill into law. Striking the enacting clause means the bill did not become law in its current form. In short, A 3621 is not enacted as of the last action listed.

What the bill would do (based on the title and typical structure of such offenses)

  • Create or designate crimes for falsely reporting an incident to authorities, with two degrees:
    • First-degree false reporting
    • Second-degree false reporting
  • Likely targets: false reports to law enforcement, emergency services, or other official responders about incidents (for example, a crime, fire, or other emergency), with penalties that escalate between the two degrees
  • Definitions and elements (not provided in the summary you supplied): The exact elements (knowingly making a false report, intent to cause a response, the type of incident covered, and any aggravating factors) would be defined in the bill’s text
  • Penalties: The bill would specify sentencing ranges, fines, or other consequences associated with first- and second-degree false reporting (specific numbers are not provided in the information given)

Who would be affected

  • Individuals who knowingly make false reports to police, fire, or emergency services
  • Emergency response agencies and law enforcement, which could experience resource diversion or unnecessary response
  • Institutions or entities that file or relay incident reports to authorities

Related and companion legislation

  • S 4776 (companion bill in the Senate)
  • A 6763 (a prior-session bill related to the same topic)
  • The existence of a companion bill suggests cross-chamber interest in criminalizing false incident reporting

Practical considerations and potential impact

  • Public safety: Aims to deter and penalize false alarms, reducing wasted emergency-response resources
  • Criminal justice: Establishes two degrees, potentially with escalating penalties
  • Administrative: May require definitions of what constitutes a “false report,” what incidents are covered, and applicable defenses
  • Political/legislative trajectory: As of the latest action, the bill’s enacting clause was struck, meaning it is not enacted in its current form; future amendments or reintroduction could change its prospects

Note

  • The exact statutory language, definitions, and penalties are not included in the information provided. For a precise understanding of the elements of each degree and the full impact, refer to the official bill text and committee amendments on the New York State Legislature website.

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

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