2025 -- H 5442

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LC001560

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- PUBLIC UTILITIES

     Introduced By: Representatives Fogarty, Carson, Cotter, Noret, Hull, Tanzi, Bennett,
Dawson, Cortvriend, and Shallcross Smith

     Date Introduced: February 12, 2025

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 11-35-18 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-35 entitled "Public

Utilities" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     11-35-18. Bomb threats and similar false reports.

     (a) Whoever, knowing the report to be false, transmits or causes to be transmitted to any

person by telephone or other means a communication falsely reporting, warning, or threatening

either the location existence of any explosive or other dangerous substance or contrivance, or a

shooting or other dangerous event or happening, at a location, causing terror, anxiety, unrest, fear,

or personal discomfort by that false report, warning, or threat to any person or group of persons, or

prompting an evacuation or lockdown of a location or other law enforcement response, shall be

guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment at the adult correctional institutions for

not more than ten (10) years, or by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by

both fine and imprisonment.

     (b) For any person charged under subsection (a) of this section, the court may consider any

factors, including whether the person poses a danger to any individual, the community, or the

defendant, when making bail determinations, and may impose any reasonable conditions or court

order, including, but not limited to:

     (1) An extreme risk protection order pursuant to the provisions of chapter 8.3 of title 8;

     (2) A no trespass order for any educational, religious, or public institution or building;

     (3) A mental health assessment and/or a referral for mental health treatment; and/or

     (4) Substance abuse counseling.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- PUBLIC UTILITIES

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     This act would expand the meaning of bomb threats and false reports to include any

warning or threat of the existence of an explosive device and/or which that prompts a law

enforcement response and allows a judge to impose conditions of bail to include extreme risk

protection orders, no trespass orders and counseling.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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