The following message is mandated by Texas Law, House Bill1284.
House Bill 1284 was enacted by the Texas Legislature inresponse to numerous threats this past year that disrupted classes at several universities across the nation and prompted the evacuation of campus property,even though the reports turned out to be a hoax.
This bill which went into effect on September 1, 2013 enhanced the penalties for section 42.06 of the Texas Penal Code dealing withFalse alarms or reports. Section 42.06 of the Texas penal code reads as follows:
A person commits an offense if he knowingly initiates,communicates or circulates a report of a present, past or future bombing, fire,offense or other emergency that they know is false or baseless and that would ordinarily:
1. Cause action by an official or volunteer agency organized to deal with emergencies;
2. Place a person in fear of imminent serious bodily injury; or
3. Prevent or interrupt the occupation of abuilding, room, place of assembly, place to which the public has access, oraircraft, automobile, or other mode of conveyance.
An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor unless the false report is of an emergency involvinga public or private institution of higher education or involving a public primary orsecondary school, public communications, public transportation, public water,gas, or power supply or other public service, in which event the offense is a state jail felony.
An individual adjudged guilty of a state jail felony shall be punished by confinement in a state jail for any term of not more than two years or less than 180 days and, in addition to confinement, may be punished by a fine not to exceed $10,000.
Gary Hopper Kristi R. Quiros
Chief of Police Vice President and Dean of Student Life & Learning
Gary Hopper
Chief of Police
Texas Lutheran University Police Department