Senate Bill
SB 198
Crime of swatting.
In plain English
Changes the crime of false informing so that hindering a "law enforcement process" includes causing a law enforcement officer to be dispatched. Raises the penalty to a Level 6 felony for making a false report that a person is dangerous, if a reasonable person would feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, or threatened by the offense.
Written by AI from the official digest below, and checked only by automated rules. If they differ, the official digest and bill text control.
Official digest
Specifies that, for purposes of the crime of false informing, hindering a "law enforcement process" includes causing a law enforcement officer to be dispatched. Enhances the penalty for making a false report that a person is dangerous to a Level 6 felony if the offense would cause a reasonable person to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, or threatened.
Latest action: Signed by the Governor, May 1, 2025Full text and history at iga.in.gov
Authors and sponsors
Aaron Freeman, Eric Koch, Andrew Ireland
Co-authors and co-sponsors: Jim Buck, Jim Lucas
Roll-call votes
3 recorded votes, oldest first. Third-reading votes decide whether a bill passes a chamber; amendment votes and procedural motions are listed too.
Senate · Feb 11, 2025
Third reading: vote to pass
Roll call text: SB 198 - Freeman - 3rd Reading
Passed
47 yes1 no2 did not vote
Republicans: 37 yes, 0 no, 2 did not voteDemocrats: 9 yes, 1 noNot matched to a current member: 1 yes, 0 no
How each member voted
Yes (47)
- Aaron Freeman (R)
- Andrea Hunley (D)
- Blake Doriot (R)
- Brett Clark (R)
- Brian Buchanan (R)
- Chris Garten (R)
- Cyndi Carrasco (R)
- Dan Dernulc (R)
- Daryl Schmitt (R)
- David Niezgodski (D)
- Ed Charbonneau (R)
- Eric Bassler (R)
- Eric Koch (R)
- Fady Qaddoura (D)
- Gary Byrne (R)
- Greg Goode (R)
- Greg Taylor (D)
- Greg Walker (R)
- J.D. Ford (D)
- Jean Leising (R)
- Jeff Raatz (R)
- Jim Buck (R)
- Jim Tomes (R)
- Justin Busch (R)
- Kyle Walker (R)
- La Keisha Jackson (D)
- Linda Rogers (R)
- Liz Brown (R)
- Mark Spencer (D)
- Michael Crider (R)
- Mike Bohacek (R)
- Mike Gaskill (R)
- Mike Young (R)
- Randy Maxwell (R)
- Rick Niemeyer (R)
- Rod Bray (R)
- Rodney Pol (D)
- Ron Alting (R)
- Scott Alexander (R)
- Scott Baldwin (R)
- Shelli Yoder (D)
- Spencer Deery (R)
- Stacey Donato (R)
- Sue Glick (R)
- Travis Holdman (R)
- Tyler Johnson (R)
- Unknown member
No (1)
- Lonnie Randolph (D)
Did not vote (2)
- Ryan Mishler (R)
- Vaneta Becker (R)
House · Mar 25, 2025
Third reading: vote to pass
Roll call text: SB 198 - Ireland - 3rd Reading
Passed
95 yes0 no5 did not vote
Republicans: 67 yes, 0 no, 3 did not voteDemocrats: 26 yes, 0 no, 2 did not voteIndependents: 1 yes, 0 noNot matched to a current member: 1 yes, 0 no
How each member voted
Yes (95)
- Alaina Shonkwiler (R)
- Alex Burton (D)
- Alex Zimmerman (R)
- Andrew Ireland (R)
- Beau Baird (R)
- Becky Cash (R)
- Ben Smaltz (R)
- Bob Behning (R)
- Bob Heaton (R)
- Bob Morris (R)
- Brad Barrett (R)
- Bruce Borders (R)
- Carey Hamilton (D)
- Carolyn Jackson (D)
- Cherrish Pryor (D)
- Chris Campbell (D)
- Chris Jeter (R)
- Chris Judy (R)
- Chris May (R)
- Chuck Moseley (D)
- Cindy Ledbetter (R)
- Cory Criswell (R)
- Craig Snow (R)
- Dale DeVon (R)
- Danny Lopez (R)
- Dave Hall (R)
- Dave Heine (R)
- David Abbott (R)
- Doug Miller (R)
- Earl Harris (D)
- Ed Clere (I)
- Ed DeLaney (D)
- Ed Soliday (R)
- Elizabeth Rowray (R)
- Ethan Lawson (R)
- Ethan Manning (R)
- Garrett Bascom (R)
- Greg Steuerwald (R)
- Gregory Porter (D)
- Hal Slager (R)
- Heath VanNatter (R)
- Hunter Smith (R)
- J.D. Prescott (R)
- Jack Jordan (R)
- Jake Teshka (R)
- Jeff Thompson (R)
- Jenny Meltzer (R)
- Jim Lucas (R)
- Jim Pressel (R)
- Joanna King (R)
- John Bartlett (D)
- Julie McGuire (R)
- Julie Olthoff (R)
- Justin Moed (D)
- Karen Engleman (R)
- Kendell Culp (R)
- Kyle Miller (D)
- Kyle Pierce (R)
- Lindsay Patterson (R)
- Lori Goss-Reaves (R)
- Lorissa Sweet (R)
- Mark Genda (R)
- Martin Carbaugh (R)
- Matt Hostettler (R)
- Matt Lehman (R)
- Matt Pierce (D)
- Maureen Bauer (D)
- Michelle Davis (R)
- Mike Andrade (D)
- Mike Aylesworth (R)
- Mike Karickhoff (R)
- Mitch Gore (D)
- Peggy Mayfield (R)
- Phil GiaQuinta (D)
- Ragen Hatcher (D)
- Robb Greene (R)
- Robin Shackleford (D)
- Ryan Dvorak (D)
- Ryan Lauer (R)
- Shane Lindauer (R)
- Sheila Klinker (D)
- Steve Bartels (R)
- Sue Errington (D)
- Tim O'Brien (R)
- Tim Wesco (R)
- Tim Yocum (R)
- Tony Isa (R)
- Tonya Pfaff (D)
- Tyler Johnson (R)
- Unknown member
- Vanessa Summers (D)
- Vernon Smith (D)
- Wendy Dant Chesser (D)
- Wendy McNamara (R)
- Zach Payne (R)
Did not vote (5)
- Craig Haggard (R)
- Matt Commons (R)
- Reneé Pack (D)
- Todd Huston (R)
- Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D)
Senate · Apr 16, 2025
Final vote: concurrence or conference report
Roll call text: SB 198 - Freeman
Passed
34 yes0 no16 did not vote
Republicans: 28 yes, 0 no, 11 did not voteDemocrats: 5 yes, 0 no, 5 did not voteNot matched to a current member: 1 yes, 0 no
How each member voted
Yes (34)
- Aaron Freeman (R)
- Andrea Hunley (D)
- Blake Doriot (R)
- Brett Clark (R)
- Brian Buchanan (R)
- Dan Dernulc (R)
- Daryl Schmitt (R)
- Eric Bassler (R)
- Eric Koch (R)
- Greg Goode (R)
- Jeff Raatz (R)
- Jim Buck (R)
- Jim Tomes (R)
- Justin Busch (R)
- Kyle Walker (R)
- La Keisha Jackson (D)
- Linda Rogers (R)
- Liz Brown (R)
- Lonnie Randolph (D)
- Michael Crider (R)
- Mike Bohacek (R)
- Mike Young (R)
- Randy Maxwell (R)
- Rod Bray (R)
- Rodney Pol (D)
- Scott Alexander (R)
- Scott Baldwin (R)
- Shelli Yoder (D)
- Spencer Deery (R)
- Stacey Donato (R)
- Sue Glick (R)
- Travis Holdman (R)
- Unknown member
- Vaneta Becker (R)
Did not vote (16)
- Chris Garten (R)
- Cyndi Carrasco (R)
- David Niezgodski (D)
- Ed Charbonneau (R)
- Fady Qaddoura (D)
- Gary Byrne (R)
- Greg Taylor (D)
- Greg Walker (R)
- J.D. Ford (D)
- Jean Leising (R)
- Mark Spencer (D)
- Mike Gaskill (R)
- Rick Niemeyer (R)
- Ron Alting (R)
- Ryan Mishler (R)
- Tyler Johnson (R)
Source: Open States, compiled from the Indiana General Assembly's official roll calls. The official record at iga.in.gov controls. Spot an error? Let us know.