HB 462

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Chuck
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HB 462

Post by Chuck »

Representative Kevin Miller introduced this bill to outlaw "swatting," making false calls to the cops to get people inconvenienced, or worse.
You can find the current version of the bill here:
https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legisl" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... 134-HB-462
(B) No person by means of a telecommunications device or
telecommunications service shall purposely trigger an emergency
response when no emergency response is warranted by reporting or
causing to be reported false or misleading information to a law
enforcement agency, emergency service provider, or public safety
answering point.
(C) This section does not apply to any person conducting
an authorized emergency drill.
(D)(1) Whoever violates this section is guilty of
swatting.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in division (D)(3) of
this section, swatting is a felony of the third degree.
(3) If a violation of this section results in serious
physical harm to any person, it is a felony of the first degree.
Ain't activism fun?

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Brian D.
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Re: HB 462

Post by Brian D. »

Chuck, can you help me understand why we need such a new law, when one or more already exist?
Quit worrying, hide your gun well, shut up, and CARRY that handgun!

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Chuck
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Re: HB 462

Post by Chuck »

Beavercreek Walmart comes to mind.
I'm sure there are others.

False police complaints are a common tactic in divorces, and other situations.

Do we need this?
I don't know.
Is this a gesture to the 2A community from a newly appointed representative preparing to for his first run at retaining his seat?
Probably.
Is the bill worth discussing?
I think so
Ain't activism fun?

"Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company. " - George Washington

"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something.
And because I can not do everything, I will not refuse to do the something I can do.
What I can do, I should do. And what I should do, by the grace of GOD, I will do."
- Edward Everett Hale (descendant of Nathan Hale)
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Re: HB 462

Post by bignflnut »

when no emergency response is warranted by reporting or
causing to be reported false or misleading information
Who determines when a "response is warranted"? Karen, the Gran Torino Vietnam Vet, a jury of Karens / Vietnam Vets, the State as Prosecutor? I'm all for some liability and skin in the game against the "See Something, Say Something" madness that leads to a nation of snitches. People that pull the trigger don't seem to be on that hook and while watching K Rittenhouse's Persecution, one can see this tool being used against people of one political stripe exclusively.

What is the truth of the matter in the Beavercreek WM? Was that caller trying to mislead or was this a genuinely concerned citizen? Then we get into social media posts and political mindsets prior to / after the event and the subjective nature of what is in the heart of a caller vs what were the objective acts of the people involved.

Whenever I listen to lawyers discuss witness testimony, they mention how stories change in the courtroom vs when the event happened, how people are wise to speak to officials only after having consulted counsel and how generally unreliable witness testimony can be.

Now we're potentially charging witnesses? We seem to have purgery charges at our disposal, but they seem rather difficult to prove and are therefore not highly prioritized (I see a lot of Hillary I was unaware, I was not aware, I don't recall, etc type testimony.).

I can appreciate that first responders (not just cops, " law
enforcement agency, emergency service provider, or public safety
answering point.") get a lot of frivolous phone calls. How many schools teach future citizens to call 9-1-1 for a variety of domestic abuse, public safety, crime, fire/health code violations, CPS, EMT, etc? How many stadiums have "See Something, Say Something" ads in them? Undoubtedly, the State openly encourages snitching and "call Daddy State: He will keep you safe". Perhaps the budget for these propaganda pieces should be scaled back, especially as we're going to fire 30-40% of hospital workers who don't take the jab. Perhaps a little more self-reliance should be encouraged, but that's outrageous...

This is written more broadly than swatting with cops. If a nervous single mom thinks her baby stopped breathing and called for an EMT, then recants? Does the EMT group call the Prosecutor's office and report a crime as she refuses to pay the bill? If an elderly patient simply falls at home? What is in bounds and out of bounds to an emergency response being warranted?

Chuck's point about divorce/custody ugliness cannot be overlooked.

Overall, beginning this conversation is positive. 9-1-1 is clearly over utilized and strains first responders by putting them out of position to respond to high priority calls. Seems a little like reaping what we've sown. What protection is there for the citizen who has a genuine concern about a man sitting alone, eating his lunch in a white van at a busy park? We've jettisoned self-government in favor of the State's ever watchful eye.
“It’s not that we don’t have enough scoundrels to curse; it’s that we don’t have enough good men to curse them.”–G.K. Chesterton-Illustrated London News, 3-14-1908

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