Sec. 3. (a) As used in this section, “consumer product” has the meaning set forth in IC 35-45-8-1.

     (b) As used in this section, “misconduct” means a violation of a departmental rule or procedure of a law enforcement agency.

     (c) A person who reports that:

(1) the person or another person has placed or intends to place an explosive, a destructive device, or other destructive substance in a building or transportation facility;

(2) there has been or there will be tampering with a consumer product introduced into commerce; or

(3) there has been or will be placed or introduced a weapon of mass destruction in a building or a place of assembly;

knowing the report to be false, commits false reporting, a Level 6 felony.

     (d) A person who:

(1) gives:

(A) a false report of the commission of a crime; or

(B) false information to a law enforcement officer that relates to the commission of a crime;

knowing the report or information to be false;

(2) gives a false alarm of fire to the fire department of a governmental entity, knowing the alarm to be false;

(3) makes a false request for ambulance service to an ambulance service provider, knowing the request to be false;

(4) gives a false report concerning a missing child (as defined in IC 10-13-5-4), missing veteran at risk (as defined in IC 12-7-2-197.3), or missing endangered adult (as defined in IC 12-7-2-131.3) or gives false information to a law enforcement officer or a governmental entity that relates to a missing child, missing veteran at risk, or missing endangered adult knowing the report or information to be false;

(5) makes a complaint against a law enforcement officer to the state or municipality (as defined in IC 8-1-13-3(b)) that employs the officer:

(A) alleging the officer engaged in misconduct while performing the officer’s duties; and

(B) knowing the complaint to be false;

(6) makes a false report of a missing person, knowing the report or information is false;

(7) gives a false report of actions, behavior, or conditions concerning:

(A) a septic tank soil absorption system under IC 8-1-2-125 or IC 13-26-5-2.5; or

(B) a septic tank soil absorption system or constructed wetland septic system under IC 36-9-23-30.1;

knowing the report or information to be false; or

(8) makes a false report that a person is dangerous (as defined in IC 35-47-14-1) knowing the report or information to be false;

commits false informing, a Class B misdemeanor except as provided in subsection (e).

     (e) The offense described in subsection (d) is:

(1) a Class A misdemeanor if it:

(A) substantially hinders any law enforcement process;

(B) results in harm to another person; or

(C) is committed under subsection (d)(8);

(2) a Level 6 felony if it:

(A) is committed under subsection (d)(8); and

(B) either:

(i) substantially hinders any law enforcement process; or

(ii) results in harm to another person; and

(3) a Level 5 felony if it is committed under subsection (d)(8) and results in serious bodily injury or death to another person.

As added by P.L.126-2012, SEC.54. Amended by P.L.292-2013, SEC.11; P.L.158-2013, SEC.503; P.L.168-2014, SEC.79; P.L.107-2016, SEC.7; P.L.142-2020, SEC.70; P.L.174-2021, SEC.75; P.L.40-2024, SEC.34; P.L.104-2024, SEC.44; P.L.119-2024, SEC.4.