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119-hr-286119th CongressWALLET

Preserving Safe Communities by Ending Swatting Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Representative Kustoff, David [R-TN-8]

Introduced

Summary

Create criminal and civil liability for false emergency communications (swatting). This bill would punish people who knowingly send false or misleading reports that could trigger a police, fire, or other emergency deployment and would let responders recover costs from those reports.

Show full summary
  • Families and people threatened by hoax calls: The bill aims to deter dangerous hoaxes by making swatting a federal offense and by attaching legal consequences to false emergency reports.
  • Emergency responders, local governments, and private not-for-profit fire or rescue groups: These parties could bring private lawsuits to recover expenses for any emergency or investigative response. The bill defines “emergency response” to include deployments, evacuation orders, and public warnings by public safety agencies and by private not-for-profit responders.
  • People who make false reports: Criminal penalties would include fines or up to 5 years in prison for standard cases, up to 20 years if serious bodily injury results, and up to life if death results.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Make swatting a federal crime

The bill would make causing a false emergency response a federal crime. Penalties would be fines or up to 5 years in prison; up to 20 years if serious injury; and up to life if death results. It would also broaden what counts as an emergency response, including deployments, evacuation orders, and public warnings by public safety agencies or nonprofit fire or rescue groups. The rules would start upon enactment.

Sue swatters for response costs

If enacted, you would be able to sue someone who makes a false emergency report. You could recover money you paid because police, fire, or investigators responded. This would apply when the false report could be believed or was sent by mail or across state lines and points to a crime or danger. The rule would start upon enactment.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Kustoff, David [R-TN-8]

TN • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Rutherford, John H. [R-FL-5]

    FL • R

    Sponsored 1/9/2025

  • Rep. Moskowitz, Jared [D-FL-23]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 1/9/2025

  • Rep. Cuellar, Henry [D-TX-28]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 1/9/2025

  • Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2]

    RI • D

    Sponsored 1/9/2025

  • Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 1/9/2025

  • Rep. Ezell, Mike [R-MS-4]

    MS • R

    Sponsored 1/9/2025

  • Rep. Lee, Laurel M. [R-FL-15]

    FL • R

    Sponsored 1/9/2025

  • Rep. James, John [R-MI-10]

    MI • R

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Gill, Brandon [R-TX-26]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 3/18/2025

  • Rep. Bice, Stephanie I. [R-OK-5]

    OK • R

    Sponsored 3/24/2025

  • Rep. Hageman, Harriet M. [R-WY-At Large]

    WY • R

    Sponsored 3/24/2025

  • Rep. Harrigan, Pat [R-NC-10]

    NC • R

    Sponsored 3/25/2025

  • Rep. Cline, Ben [R-VA-6]

    VA • R

    Sponsored 3/27/2025

  • Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 3/31/2025

  • Rep. Moore, Riley M. [R-WV-2]

    WV • R

    Sponsored 4/1/2025

  • Rep. Ogles, Andrew [R-TN-5]

    TN • R

    Sponsored 4/1/2025

  • Rep. Pfluger, August [R-TX-11]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 4/7/2025

  • Rep. Williams, Roger [R-TX-25]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 4/28/2025

  • Rep. Shreve, Jefferson [R-IN-6]

    IN • R

    Sponsored 7/14/2025

  • Rep. Obernolte, Jay [R-CA-23]

    CA • R

    Sponsored 7/21/2025

  • Rep. Gonzales, Tony [R-TX-23]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 10/6/2025

  • Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7]

    SC • R

    Sponsored 10/21/2025

  • Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]

    NY • R

    Sponsored 10/31/2025

  • Rep. Gillen, Laura [D-NY-4]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 10/31/2025

  • Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 12/1/2025

  • Rep. Min, Dave [D-CA-47]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 12/19/2025

  • Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2]

    NE • R

    Sponsored 3/3/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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