False reports: active shooter situations.

Existing law makes it a crime to report to specified persons, including peace officers and newspapers, that a bomb or other explosive has been or will be placed or secreted in any public or private place, knowing that the report is false. Existing law additionally makes it a crime to maliciously inform any other person that a bomb or other explosive has been or will be placed or secreted in any public or private place, knowing that the information is false. This bill would broaden those provisions to also include when a person falsely reports that an active shooter situation is underway. The bill would additionally broaden the provisions regarding false reports to specified persons to additionally include an operator of a 9-1-1 service, as defined, and an employee of a law enforcement agency. The bill would make any person convicted of violating any of these provisions, based on a report that resulted in an emergency response, liable for the reasonable costs of the emergency response by a public agency and liable to any other individuals, businesses, and other private entities for reasonable expenses incurred as a result of the disruption caused by the false report. By increasing the scope of a crime, this bill would create a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.