Bill to crack down on fake 911 calls heads to Dayton

Published 3:13 pm Saturday, April 20, 2013

ST. PAUL — Minnesota lawmakers want the state to start cracking down on phony 911 calls.

The House on Friday unanimously passed a bill that makes it a gross misdemeanor to report a fictitious emergency to 911 dispatchers with the intent of luring authorities somewhere. If the phony call results in a serious injury, it could mean felony charges.

Anyone who makes a 911 call if there’s no emergency could be charged with a misdemeanor.

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It covers phone calls and text messages.

The Senate unanimously passed the bill earlier this week. It now heads for Gov. Mark Dayton’s signature.

State legislatures and city councils across the nation have started to crack down on the prank phone calls.