California AB 1872: Vital records: certificate of death: mass fatalities incident.

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 Bill Text - AB-1872 False reporting.

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 |Add To My Favorites |Track Bill | Version: 02/12/26 - Introduced

 AB-1872 False reporting.(2025-2026)

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 Date Published: 02/12/2026 09:00 PM

AB1872:v99#DOCUMENTBill Start

 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

 Assembly Bill

No. 1872

Introduced by Assembly Member Ta

February 12, 2026

 An act to amend Sections 148.3 and 653x of the Penal Code, relating to crimes. 

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1872, as introduced, Ta.
 False reporting.

Existing law makes it a misdemeanor to report an emergency to specified government entities knowing that report to be false. Existing law makes it a misdemeanor to initiate communication with the 911 emergency system with the intent to annoy or harass another person.

This bill would make a 2nd or subsequent violation of these provisions punishable as a misdemeanor or felony for a person who was 18 years of age or older at the time the person committed the prior offense or offenses. By increasing the penalty for existing crimes, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

Existing law makes an individual convicted of the crimes described above liable to a public agency for the reasonable costs of an emergency response by the public agency.

The bill would
 extend those liability provisions to property damage incurred as a result of the emergency response.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Digest Key

 Vote:
 MAJORITY 
 Appropriation:
 NO 
 Fiscal Committee:
 YES 
 Local Program:
 YES 

Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Section 148.3 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

148.3.

 (a) Any (1) An individual who reports, or causes any report to be made, to any a city, county, city and county, or state department, district, agency, division, commission, or board, that an “emergency” exists, knowing that the report is false, is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punishable by imprisonment in a county
 jail for a period not exceeding one year, or by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine.

(2) A second or subsequent violation of paragraph (1) is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for a period not exceeding one year, by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), by both that imprisonment and fine, or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170. This paragraph shall not apply to a person who was under 18 years of age at the time the person committed the prior offense or offenses.

(b) Any An
 individual who reports, or causes any a report to be made, to any a city, county, city and county, or state department, district, agency, division, commission, or board, that an “emergency” exists, who knows that the report is false, and who knows or should know that the response to the report is likely to cause death or great bodily injury, and great bodily injury or death is sustained by any person as a result of the false report, is guilty of a felony and upon conviction thereof shall be punishable by imprisonment
 pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, or by a fine of not more than exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine.

(c) “Emergency” as used in this section means any
 a condition that results in, or could result in, the response of a public official in an authorized emergency vehicle, aircraft, or vessel, any condition that jeopardizes or could jeopardize public safety and results in, or could result in, the evacuation of any an area, building, structure, vehicle, or of any other place that any an individual may enter, or any a situation that results in or could result
 in activation of the Emergency Alert System pursuant to Section 8594 of the Government Code. An activation or possible activation of the Emergency Alert System pursuant to Section 8594 of the Government Code shall not constitute an “emergency” for purposes of this section if it occurs as the result of a report made or caused to be made by a parent, guardian, or lawful custodian of a child that is based o