BILL REQ. #:  H-4317.1 

Read first time 01/16/08.   Referred to Committee on Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness.

     AN ACT Relating to making a false or misleading material statement that results in an Amber alert; adding a new section to chapter 9A.76 RCW; and prescribing penalties.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 9A.76 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) A person who knowingly makes a false or misleading material statement to a public servant that a child has been abducted and which statement causes the activation of the voluntary broadcast notification system commonly known as the "Amber alert," or as the same system may otherwise be known, which is used to notify the public of abducted children, is guilty of a class C felony.
     (2) "Material statement" means a written or oral statement reasonably likely to be relied upon by a public servant in the discharge of his or her official powers or duties.