HB 3969
Creates the crime of initiating a false report in the first degree.
Jurisdiction
Oregon
Session
2025 Regular Session
Committee
Addiction and Community Safety Response
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Sign in to take action- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Bill overview
This bill creates two new crimes in Oregon: initiating a false report in the first degree and initiating a false report in the second degree. The first degree crime carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, while the second degree crime carries a potential sentence of up to 5 years in prison and a $125,000 fine. The bill also renames the existing ‘initiating a false report’ crime to ‘initiating a false report in the third degree’ and outlines restitution requirements for those convicted of these offenses. It also includes provisions for addressing harm caused by false reports to schools, higher education institutions, public officials, and places of worship.
Key provisions
- Creates a new crime of ‘initiating a false report in the first degree’ with a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
- Creates a new crime of ‘initiating a false report in the second degree’ with a maximum sentence of 5 years imprisonment and a $125,000 fine.
- Renames the existing ‘initiating a false report’ crime to ‘initiating a false report in the third degree.’
- Requires convicted individuals to repay costs associated with responding to and investigating false reports.
- Requires restitution to victims who suffered physical injury or property damage as a result of responding to false reports.
- Defines ‘harm’ for both individuals and locations in the context of false reports.
- Addresses harm to schools, higher education institutions, public officials, and places of worship as aggravating factors for the second-degree false report crime.
- Modifies Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 166.397 regarding reporting lost or stolen firearms, including penalties for failure to report and potential negligence per se.
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