[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1658 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1658

    To improve Federal criminal penalties on false information and 
                           terrorist hoaxes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            November 8, 2001

  Mr. Schumer (for himself, Mr. DeWine, and Mr. Hatch) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                             the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To improve Federal criminal penalties on false information and 
                           terrorist hoaxes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Anti-Hoax Terrorism Act of 2001''.

SEC. 2. HOAXES AND RECOVERY COSTS.

    (a) Prohibition on Hoaxes.--Chapter 41 of title 18, United States 
Code, is amended by inserting after section 880 the following:
``Sec. 881. False information and hoaxes
    ``(a) Criminal Violation.--Whoever knowingly engages in any 
conduct--
            ``(1) knowing that the conduct is likely to impart the 
        false impression that activity is or will take place that 
        violates section 175, 229, 831, or 2332a; and
            ``(2) that may reasonably be expected to be believed to 
        cause an emergency response by governmental agencies or that 
        causes an emergency response by governmental agencies to that 
        activity;
shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or 
both.
    ``(b) Reimbursement.--
            ``(1) Convicted defendant.--The court, in imposing a 
        sentence on a defendant who has been convicted of an offense 
        under subsection (a), shall order the defendant to reimburse 
        for any expenses incurred incident to the investigation of the 
        commission by that person of such offense, including the cost 
        of any response made by any Federal military or civilian agency 
        to protect public health or safety.
            ``(2) Jointly and severally liable.--A person ordered to 
        reimburse for expenses under this subsection shall be jointly 
        and severally liable for such expenses with each other person, 
        if any, who is ordered under this subsection to reimburse for 
        the same expenses.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 41 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding after 
the item for section 880 the following:

``881. False information and hoaxes.''.
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