Substituted for: House Bill No. 2952

By Westmoreland, Bird

AN ACT To amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-16-502, relative to the criminal offense of making false reports.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-16-502, is amended by deleting subsection (a)(1) in its entirety and substituting instead the following and by renumbering present subsection (a)(2) as (a)(3):

(a) It is unlawful for any person to:

(1) Initiate a report or statement to a law enforcement officer concerning an offense or incident within the officer's concern knowing that:

(A) The offense or incident reported did not occur;

(B) He or she has no information relating to the offense or incident reported; or

(C) The information relating to the offense reported is false; or

(2) Make a report or statement in response to a legitimate inquiry by a law enforcement officer concerning a material fact about an offense or incident within the officer's concern knowing that such report or statement is false and with the intent to obstruct or hinder the officer from:

(A) Preventing the offense or incident from occurring or continuing to occur; or

(B) Apprehending or locating another person suspected of committing an offense; or

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 1998, the public welfare requiring it.