An Act to Prevent False Reporting Leading to Evacuation, Shutdown or Lockdown
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 0405
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Sponsors: CARNEY, DOUDERA, HARRINGTON, JACKSON, LAWRENCE, LYFORD, RAFFERTY, MATHIESON, POIRIER, ZAGER
Amends: 17-A MRSA §509, 17-A MRSA §1501

Legislative Document
No. 405
S.P. 186
In Senate, February 2, 2023
An Act to Prevent False Reporting Leading to Evacuation, 
Shutdown or Lockdown
Reference to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety suggested and ordered 
printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator CARNEY of Cumberland.
Cosponsored by Representative DOUDERA of Camden and
Senators: HARRINGTON of York, President JACKSON of Aroostook, LAWRENCE of York, 
LYFORD of Penobscot, RAFFERTY of York, Representatives: MATHIESON of Kittery, 
POIRIER of Skowhegan, ZAGER of Portland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  17-A MRSA §509, as amended by PL 1977, c. 510, §56, is further amended 
to read:
§509.  False public alarm or report
1.   A person is guilty of false public alarm or report if:
A.  He The person knowingly gives or causes to be given false information to any law 
enforcement officer or the enhanced 9-1-1 services established in Title 25, chapter 352 
with the intent of inducing such officer or any other emergency services personnel to 
believe that a crime has been committed or that another has committed a crime, 
knowing the information to be false; or
B.  He The person knowingly gives or causes to be given false information to any law 
enforcement officer, a member of a fire fighting firefighting agency, including a 
volunteer fire department, the enhanced 9-1-1 services established in Title 25, chapter 
or any other person knowing that such other is likely to communicate the 
information to a law enforcement officer or, a member of a fire fighting firefighting 
agency, or any other emergency services personnel concerning a fire, explosive or other 
similar substance which that is capable of endangering the safety of persons, knowing 
that such information is false, or knowing that he the person has no information relating 
to the fire, explosive or other similar substance.; or
C.  He The person knowingly gives or causes to be given false information concerning 
an emergency to any ambulance service, the enhanced 9-1-1 services established in 
Title 25, chapter 352, any other emergency services personnel or to any government 
agency or public utility that deals with emergencies involving danger to life or 
property, with the intent of inducing such service, personnel, agency or utility to 
respond to the reported emergency, knowing such information to be false.
A violation of this subsection is a Class D crime.
2.   False public alarm is a Class D crime.
3.    A person is guilty of aggravated false public alarm or report if the person violates 
subsection 1 and the violation causes the evacuation, shutdown or lockdown of a building, 
school, public square or park, place of assembly or public transportation facility or 
generates an emergency response from a law enforcement officer or agency, a firefighter 
or firefighting agency or any other emergency services personnel.
A violation of this subsection is a Class C crime.
Sec. 2.  17-A MRSA §1501, sub-§8, ¶C, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 170, §1, is 
amended to read:
C.  The discriminatory motive of the person in making a false public alarm or report in 
violation of section 509, subsection 1; and
SUMMARY
This bill amends the crime of false public alarm or report by including making a false 
public alarm or report to the enhanced 9-1-1 services and by making the offense a Class C 
crime if the violation causes the evacuation, shutdown or lockdown of a building, school, 
public square or park, place of assembly or public transportation facility or generates an 
emergency response from a law enforcement officer or agency, a firefighter or firefighting 
agency or any other emergency services personnel.