Makes it a felony to file a false police report of a crime carrying a sentence of imprisonment of not less than five (5) years.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would make it a serious crime in Rhode Island to knowingly file a false police report. Specifically, it would classify filing a false police report as a felony, punishable by a prison sentence of at least five years. Under current law, filing a false report may be treated less seriously, so this bill would significantly increase the legal consequences for people who deliberately lie to law enforcement about a crime.

The bill would affect anyone in Rhode Island who intentionally files a police report they know to be untrue. This could include, for example, someone who falsely accuses another person of committing a crime or fabricates an incident to mislead law enforcement. By making this a felony with a mandatory minimum sentence, the bill aims to discourage people from misusing the police reporting system, which can waste law enforcement resources and cause serious harm to innocent people who are falsely accused.

Currently, the bill has been introduced in the Rhode Island Senate and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. As of the most recent action, the committee has recommended that the bill be held for further study, meaning it has not yet moved forward in the legislative process. A hearing is scheduled for March 10, 2026, where lawmakers will continue to review and discuss the proposal before deciding whether to advance it.