(Des Moines) A bill ready for debate in the Iowa House would increase penalties for people who knowingly report false information to law enforcement, otherwise known as “swatting.”
Department of Public Safety Agent Don Schnitker says the state responded to four swatting calls in 2021 but nearly 90 calls last school year. There have been several swatting calls in Iowa the past few weeks, including in Ankeny, Dubuque, Marion, and Perry.
The House Panel Safety Committee passed the bill Wednesday, opening it up for debate on the House floor. There were at least 30 fake reports of threats to Iowa schools in March of last year alone.
