§61-6-20. Falsely reporting an emergency incident.
(a) A person is guilty of reporting a false emergency incident when knowing the information reported, conveyed, or circulated is false or baseless, he or she:
(1) Initiates or circulates a false report or warning of or impending occurrence of a fire, explosion, crime, catastrophe, accident, illness, or other emergency under circumstances in which it is likely that public alarm or inconvenience will result or that firefighting apparatus, ambulance apparatus, one or more rescue vehicles or other emergency apparatus might be summoned; or
(2) Reports, by word or action, to any official or quasi-official agency or organization having the function of dealing with emergencies involving danger to life or property, an alleged occurrence or impending occurrence of a fire, explosion, crime, catastrophe, accident, illness, or other emergency in which it is likely that public alarm or inconvenience will result or that firefighting apparatus, ambulance apparatus, one or more rescue vehicles or other emergency apparatus might be summoned, which did not occur, does not in fact exist; or
(3) Reports to a law-enforcement officer or agency the alleged occurrence of any offense or incident which did not in fact occur, or an allegedly impending occurrence of an offense or incident which is not in fact about to occur, or false information relating to an actual offense or incident or to the alleged implication of some person; or
(4) Without just cause, calls or summons by telephone, fire alarm system, or otherwise, any firefighting apparatus, ambulance apparatus, rescue vehicles, or other emergency vehicles.
(b) Any person who violates the provisions of subsection (a) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $500 or confined in jail not more than six months, or both fined and confined.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, any person convicted of a second or subsequent violation of the provisions of this section or, of a violation of this section which results in bodily injury to another person is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $5,000 nor more than $10,000, or imprisoned in a state correctional facility for a term of not less than one year nor more than five years, or both fined and imprisoned.
(d) Prior to the sentencing of a person who has been convicted of a violation of this section, the court may enter an order directing any law enforcement agency or emergency service provider involved in the emergency response that wishes to be reimbursed for the costs incurred by the agency or provider during the emergency response, to file with the court within a specified time an itemized statement of those costs. The court may then order the offender to reimburse the agency for all or a portion of those costs.
(e) This section does not apply to any person conducting an authorized emergency drill.
