SB24 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

April WeaverSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Crimes and offenses; falsely reporting; penalties revised; restitution required

Summary

SB24 tightens penalties for false reporting to law enforcement, requires restitution for emergency responses, and sets day-for-day imprisonment, with an effective date of October 1, 2024.

What This Bill Does

It makes falsely reporting or causing transmission of a false report a Class C felony if the report alleges imminent danger to a person or the public; otherwise it remains a Class A misdemeanor. If the false report leads to an emergency response or investigation, the offender must pay restitution for expenses incurred by law enforcement or assisting agencies, including police, firefighting, and emergency medical services. The felony imprisonment term under this section must be served day-for-day and cannot be reduced or suspended. The bill is exempt from the local-funds spending requirement in Section 111.05 because it creates or amends a crime and becomes effective October 1, 2024.

Who It Affects

• Individuals who knowingly file false reports or cause transmission of false reports to law enforcement about a crime; penalties range from Class A misdemeanor to Class C felony if imminent danger is involved.
• Law enforcement, firefighting, emergency medical services, and other assisting government agencies that may incur expenses from responding to false reports and who may receive restitution payments.

Key Provisions

• Defines false reporting as knowingly making a false report or causing transmission of a false report to local, state, or federal law enforcement about a crime or related to a crime; creates a crime of false reporting.
• Punishments: false reporting is Class A misdemeanor unless the false report alleges imminent danger, which makes it a Class C felony.
• Restitution: a convicted person must pay expenses incurred by law enforcement or assisting agencies when the false report leads to an emergency response or investigation (including police, firefighting, EMS, and personnel costs).
• Imprisonment: felony sentences under this section are served day-for-day and cannot be reduced or suspended.
• Effective date: October 1, 2024.
• Local funds provision: the bill is excluded from Section 111.05 local-funds requirements because it defines a new crime or amends an existing one.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Crimes & Offenses