2013 Hawaii Revised Statutes
TITLE 37. HAWAII PENAL CODE
710. Offenses Against Public Administration
710-1014.5 Misuse of 911 emergency telephone service.
§710-1014.5 Misuse of 911 emergency telephone service. (1) A person commits the offense of misuse of 911 emergency telephone service if the person accesses the telephone number 911 and:
(a) Knowingly causes a false alarm; or
(b) Makes a false complaint or a report of false information in reckless disregard of the risk that a public safety agency will respond by dispatching emergency services.
(2) Misuse of 911 emergency telephone service is a misdemeanor.
(3) For purposes of this section, "public safety agency" means any federal, state, or county police, fire, emergency medical service, or civil defense relief agency. [L 2005, c 17, §1]
COMMENTARY ON §710-1014.5
Act 17, Session Laws 2005, established as a misdemeanor offense, the misuse of 911 emergency telephone service, when an individual accesses 911 and knowingly causes a false alarm or recklessly makes a false complaint or report. The legislature found that the Act would prevent public safety agencies from wasting their time on false alarms and ensure that legitimate emergency requests were not hampered by the abuse of the emergency system. Senate Standing Committee Report No. 1297, House Standing Committee Report No. 129.
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