PENALTIES FOR MAKING A SWATTING CALL IS HEADED TO THE GOVERNOR’S DESK. THE IOWA HOUSE ADVANCED THAT PROPOSAL A FEW HOURS AGO. CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER IS AT THE STATE HOUSE TONIGHT WITH HOW LAWMAKERS HOPE TO STOP THE RISE OF FAKE 911 CALLS AND THE CHAOS THEY CREATE. THIS BILL IS AIMED AT PREVENTING SWATTING CALLS, WHICH IS WHEN SOMEONE MAKES A FALSE POLICE REPORT, USUALLY ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE A MASS SHOOTING OR A BOMBING, WITH THE INTENT OF GETTING POLICE OR SWAT TEAMS TO RESPOND TO THE SCENE. AN IOWA LAW ENFORCEMENT SAYS SWATTING CALLS ARE ON THE RISE AND, OF COURSE, DISTRACTED. THE CALLER DESCRIBES WHAT NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR AN ACTIVE SHOOTER AND KIDS HURT, BUT IT’S ALL FAKE AND THE DANGEROUS PRANK CALLS ARE BECOMING MORE FREQUENT. WE JUST WANT THE PUNISHMENT TO FIT THE CRIME, I THINK, AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING A LOT IN IOWA, REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE ZACH DEACON SAYS THE HOUSE BILL COMES FROM THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY. THREE YEARS AGO, THE DEPARTMENT SAYS THEY INVESTIGATED FOUR SWATTING CASES. BY LAST YEAR, THAT NUMBER JUMPED TO 39 CASES, AND THAT NUMBER COULD CONTINUE TO CLIMB IN 2024. LAST MONTH, THERE WERE 13 SIMILAR CALLS PLACED ALL ACROSS THE STATE. AROUND THE SAME TIME ALL HOAXES, A FEW WEEKS AGO, LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATED SWATTING CALLS MADE AT SCHOOLS IN ANKENY, DES MOINES. AND PERRY, YOU’RE LOCKED IN A CLASSROOM. DES MOINES POLICE SAY THE FALSE REPORTS COME WITH A COST. WE TREAT IT LIKE IT’S THE REAL DEAL UNTIL WE KNOW IT’S NOT. AND THAT REQUIRES A RAPID RESPONSE FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE. AND IT WILL PULL THOSE RESOURCES AWAY FROM OTHER EMERGENCY BOIES OR CALLS FOR SERVICE THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. SWATTING IS A MISDEMEANOR CRIME. IF THE BILL IS SIGNED INTO LAW, SWATTING WOULD BECOME A CLASS D FELONY THAT CARRIES A PRISON SENTENCE OF UP TO FIVE YEARS. AND IF SOMEONE GETS HURT BECAUSE OF THE SWATTING CALL, THAT WOULD BE CHARGED AS A CLASS C FELONY, WHICH CARRIES A PRISON SENTENCE OF UP TO TEN YEARS. LAW ENFORCEMENT HOPES HARSHER PENALTIES COULD HELP CUT DOWN ON THE CRIME. I THINK LEGISLATORS ARE HEARING BACK HOME THOSE COSTS AND WHAT THOSE RESOURCES ARE THAT ARE BEING DEPLOYED TO THAT. IF WE INCREASE THOSE PENALTIES, IT’S A DETERRENT. THE IOWA SENATE PASSED THIS BILL LAST WEEK. THAT MEANS IT’S NOW ON ITS WAY TO THE GOVERNOR’S DESK TO BE SIGNED INTO LAW FROM THE STATEHOUSE