Assembly Bill A9185

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9185
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             October 17, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. ZACCARO -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Codes
 
 AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to falsely reporting an inci-
   dent in the third degree
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section  1. Section 240.50 of the penal law, as amended by chapter 276
 of the laws of 1973, the opening paragraph and subdivision 4 as  amended
 by  section 1 of part G of chapter 501 of the laws of 2012, subdivisions
 1 and 2 as amended by chapter 146 of the laws of 1979, subdivision 3  as
 amended by chapter 302 of the laws of 2001, and the closing paragraph as
 amended  by  chapter  301  of  the  laws  of 2001, is amended to read as
 follows:
 § 240.50 Falsely reporting an incident in the third degree.
   A person is guilty of falsely  reporting  an  incident  in  the  third
 degree when, knowing the information reported, conveyed or circulated to
 be false or baseless, [he or she] SUCH PERSON:
   1.  Initiates or circulates a false report or warning, INCLUDING USING
 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE OR GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AS DEFINED
 BY SECTION SEVENTEEN HUNDRED OF THE GENERAL BUSINESS LAW, of an  alleged
 occurrence  or impending occurrence of a crime, catastrophe or emergency
 under circumstances in which it is not unlikely  that  public  alarm  or
 inconvenience will result; or
   2.  Reports, by word or action INCLUDING USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
 OR GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AS DEFINED  BY  SECTION  SEVENTEEN
 HUNDRED  OF  THE  GENERAL BUSINESS LAW, to an 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 catastrophe or emergency which did not in fact occur or
 does not in fact exist; or

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13942-01-5
 A. 9185                             2
              

 
   3. Gratuitously reports  to  a  law  enforcement  officer  or  agency,
 INCLUDING  USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE OR GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTEL-
 LIGENCE AS DEFINED BY SECTION SEVENTEEN HUNDRED OF THE GENERAL  BUSINESS
 LAW,  (a) the alleged occurrence of an offense or incident which did not
 in fact occur; or (b) an allegedly impending occurrence of an offense or
 incident  which  in fact is not about to occur; or (c) false information
 relating to an actual offense or incident or to the alleged  implication
 of some person therein; or
   4.  Reports, by word or action INCLUDING USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
 OR GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AS DEFINED  BY  SECTION  SEVENTEEN
 HUNDRED  OF THE GENERAL BUSINESS LAW, an alleged occurrence or condition
 of child abuse or maltreatment or  abuse  or  neglect  of  a  vulnerable
 person which did not in fact occur or exist to:
   (a) the statewide central register of child abuse and maltreatment, as
 defined  in  title  six of article six of the social services law or the
 vulnerable persons' central register as defined  in  article  eleven  of
 such law, or
   (b)  any  person  required to report cases of suspected child abuse or
 maltreatment pursuant to subdivision one of section four  hundred  thir-
 teen of the social services law or to report cases of suspected abuse or
 neglect  of a vulnerable person pursuant to section four hundred ninety-
 one of such law, knowing that the person  is  required  to  report  such
 cases,  and  with the intent that such an alleged occurrence be reported
 to the statewide central register or vulnerable persons' central  regis-
 ter.
   Falsely  reporting an incident in the third degree is a class A misde-
 meanor.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.