Sen. Rick Scott Introduces Legislation to Crack Down on “Swatting” Crimes

On January 17th, Senator Rick Scott, Senator Tommy Tuberville and Senator Mike Rounds introduced the Preserving Safe Communities by Ending Swatting Act, which expands the federal criminal hoax statute to specifically prohibit “swatting” hoaxes through which false information about a crime is reported to law enforcement with the intent of eliciting an emergency response at a target address. 

by Orlando Advocate staff

This legislation would impose strict penalties for swatting, including up to 20 years in prison if someone is seriously hurt because of a swatting attack.

This bill is endorsed by the National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) and the National Sheriffs’ Association. It is led by Representative David Kustoff in the House of Representatives.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Last month, criminals attempted a ‘swatting’ on my home in Florida in a despicable act of cowardice, clearly intending to terrorize my family and inflict fear and violence. This is happening around the nation, not just to elected officials, but also to hundreds of Jewish institutions. It’s sickening, dangerous and we must stop it. I’m incredibly grateful for the work of law enforcement around our nation to keep us safe and put their lives on the line every day. They shouldn’t be put in danger and have their time and resources wasted because of these disgusting hoaxes. Today, I am introducing a bill to make sure the criminals who make these false calls and waste law enforcement resources face serious consequences, including years in prison, if anyone is seriously harmed. We must send a message to the cowards behind these calls—this isn’t a joke, it’s a crime.”

Read more HERE.