The Preserving Safe Communities by Ending Swatting Act of 2025 strengthens federal criminal penalties and establishes civil liability for individuals who knowingly convey false information to trigger emergency responses.
David Kustoff
Representative
TN-8
The Preserving Safe Communities by Ending Swatting Act of 2025 strengthens federal law to combat "swatting" by increasing criminal penalties for those who knowingly report false information to trigger emergency responses. The bill also establishes civil liability, requiring perpetrators to reimburse public safety agencies and organizations for the costs incurred during these emergency deployments.
New Federal Anti-Swatting Bill Targets False Emergency Calls with Up to Life Imprisonment and Massive Fines
The 'Preserving Safe Communities by Ending Swatting Act of 2025' aims to shut down the dangerous trend of 'swatting'—where someone calls in a fake high-stakes emergency to send a SWAT team to a stranger's house. This bill amends Section 1038 of title 18 to broaden federal crimes for conveying false information. It specifically targets anyone who uses the mail or any 'facility of interstate or foreign commerce' (which includes your phone and the internet) to report a fake crime that could reasonably be expected to trigger an emergency response. If the fake report results in serious injury, the perpetrator faces up to 20 years in prison; if someone dies as a result, they could face life behind bars.
The Cost of Chaos
Beyond the criminal penalties, this bill introduces a 'you break it, you bought it' policy for emergency resources. Under Section 2(b), anyone who triggers a false emergency response is now civilly liable for the full cost of that response. This means if a local police department, a federal agency, or even a private nonprofit fire department spends thousands of dollars deploying specialized gear and personnel based on a lie, they can sue the perpetrator to get every cent back. For a city, this helps recoup taxpayer money wasted on a prank; for the perpetrator, it’s a financial hit that could follow them for decades.
Defining the Response
The bill is very specific about what counts as an 'emergency response' to ensure there are no loopholes. According to the new subsection (e), it covers any deployment of personnel or equipment, evacuation orders, or public warnings issued by safety agencies. This includes not just the police, but also fire and rescue functions. For example, if someone falsely reports a gas leak at a local high school to get out of an exam, causing a massive evacuation and fire department sweep, they fall squarely under these new rules. It’s a direct attempt to protect first responders who are often put in high-speed, high-stress situations based on these fraudulent calls.
Real-World Stakes
For the average person, this bill acts as a shield against a particularly modern form of harassment. Imagine a software developer or a small business owner who is targeted by an online harasser; currently, the legal path to federal prosecution for swatting can be complex. This bill streamlines that process by tying the act to interstate commerce and providing clear sentencing guidelines. While the bill is tough, it includes a 'intent' requirement—meaning you have to actually intend to convey false or misleading information to be prosecuted. This protects the person who calls 911 in good faith because they genuinely thought they saw a crime in progress, even if they turned out to be mistaken.