Sec. 3. (a) As used in this section, "consumer product" has the meaning set forth in IC 35-45-8-1.

(b) As used in this section, "misconduct" means a violation of a departmental rule or procedure of a law enforcement agency.

(c) A person who reports, by telephone, telegraph, mail, or other written or oral communication, that:

(1) the person or another person has placed or intends to place an explosive, a destructive device, or other destructive substance in a building or transportation facility;

(2) there has been or there will be tampering with a consumer product introduced into commerce; or

(3) there has been or will be placed or introduced a weapon of mass destruction in a building or a place of assembly;

knowing the report to be false, commits false reporting, a Level 6 felony.

(d) A person who:

(1) gives a false report of the commission of a crime or gives false information in the official investigation of the commission of a crime, knowing the report or information to be false;

(2) gives a false alarm of fire to the fire department of a governmental entity, knowing the alarm to be false;

(3) makes a false request for ambulance service to an ambulance service provider, knowing the request to be false;

(4) gives a false report concerning a missing child (as defined in IC 10-13-5-4) or missing endangered adult (as defined in IC 12-7-2-131.3) or gives false information in the official investigation of a missing child or missing endangered adult knowing the report or information to be false;

(5) makes a complaint against a law enforcement officer to the state or municipality (as defined in IC 8-1-13-3(b)) that employs the officer:

(A) alleging the officer engaged in misconduct while performing the officer's duties; and

(B) knowing the complaint to be false;

(6) makes a false report of a missing person, knowing the report or information is false; or

(7) gives a false report of actions, behavior, or conditions concerning:

(A) a septic tank soil absorption system under IC 8-1-2-125 or IC 13-26-5-2.5; or

(B) a septic tank soil absorption system or constructed wetland septic system under IC 36-9-23-30.1;

knowing the report or information to be false;

commits false informing, a Class B misdemeanor. However, the offense is a Class A misdemeanor if it substantially hinders any law enforcement process or if it results in harm to another person.

As added by P.L.126-2012, SEC.54. Amended by P.L.292-2013, SEC.11; P.L.158-2013, SEC.503; P.L.168-2014, SEC.79; P.L.107-2016, SEC.7.