Criminal Justice (Public Safety)

AB 791 makes it illegal to intentionally send false text messages to 911 reporting a non-existent emergency. It directly affects individuals who send such deceptive messages, imposing fines ($100-$600) or up to 90 days in jail for a first offense. For repeat offenses within four years, the penalty escalates to a Class H felony charge. The bill targets misuse of emergency services by adding specific penalties for text-based false reports, which previously lacked clear legal consequences. This law aims to deter non-emergency text spam that wastes critical resources.

SB 303 creates a grant program to fund technical colleges in developing detailed digital maps of their campus buildings for law enforcement use. These maps must include specific location details like room numbers, floors, and building layouts to help first responders during emergencies, and must work with existing public safety technology without requiring additional software purchases. The Office of School Safety will administer the grants, accepting applications from technical college leaders working with local law enforcement. The bill also requires an annual report tracking grant funding and how the maps are used.