FALSE REPRT INDUCE EMERG RESP

Texas Penal Code § 42.0601, added in 2023, defines false report to induce emergency response — the conduct commonly called swatting. The State must prove the accused made a report of a criminal offense or an emergency knowing the report was false or baseless, with the result or purpose of inducing an emergency response by a law enforcement agency or other emergency responder. The statute targets deliberately fabricated calls, such as false reports of a shooting, hostage situation, or other crisis at a location, designed to draw police or emergency crews to respond to a place where no such emergency exists. This filing is the base Class A misdemeanor form graded under § 42.0601(b); the statute reserves felony grading for aggravated circumstances. It operates alongside the older and broader false alarm or report offense defined by Texas Penal Code § 42.06.

Ranges are the statutory maximums for the level; enhancements, prior convictions and plea agreements change what is actually imposed.

Across 790 Texas bail settings for this charge (6 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $2,500 (middle half: $1,500 – $5,000). 13% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 11 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (391 records), the median was $2,000 and 19% got a personal bond.

Showing the 5 counties with the most records; use the selector for any county with at least 30. Per-charge bond settings on original magistrations, from Texas OCA bail reporting under SB 6. Bail is set case by case — these are statistics, not a prediction.