Committee hears bill to criminalize ‘swatting,’ debates penalty level for shooting threats

Santa Fe — The Senate Judiciary Committee heard a bill that would add “swatting” to the criminal code and raise penalties for some types of false-threat calls that prompt emergency responses.

The sponsor described the bill as an attempt to align the law with modern threats to schools, houses of worship and public institutions. The proposed language would make swatting — knowingly reporting a false, ongoing emergency to prompt an armed response — a fourth‑degree felony, and would reclassify some types of false shooting threats that currently are misdemeanors.

Committee members debated the scope and drafting. Several senators said they want to distinguish offhand or heated threats (spoken in anger) from intentional hoaxes meant to trigger broad emergency responses. An amendment proposed during the hearing would have left shooting threats at the misdemeanor level while making swatting and bomb threats fourth‑degree felonies; the sponsor indicated they did not favor that amendment.

Supporters said swatting has led to dangerous, sometimes deadly, confrontations in other states and that a specific felony helps prosecutors and law enforcement track hurtful hoaxes. Opponents and some committee members cautioned the language could sweep in juveniles or others who utter reckless words without intent to mount an organized hoax, and asked the chair and sponsors to refine the bill’s drafting before a final vote.

No committee vote occurred. Senators and staff said they would continue redrafting language and review sentencing, juvenile‑justice and prosecutorial-discretion implications before the bill is returned to the committee.