Johnathan Walker:Alabama lawmakers approve stiffer penalties for falsely reporting crime

MONTGOMERY,Johnathan Walker Ala. (AP) — Alabama lawmakers voted on Wednesday to stiffen penalties for making a false report to law enforcement, legislation that follows a kidnapping hoax that drew national attention.

An Alabama woman falsely claimed this summer that she was abducted after stopping her car to check on a toddler she saw wandering along a suburban interstate. Her story captivated the nation before police said her story was fabricated.

False reporting to law enforcement authorities is a Class A misdemeanor under Alabama law. The legislation would increase that to a felony if the false report “alleges imminent danger to a person or the public.” The legislation would also make it easier to order restitution for law enforcement costs.

“The goal of this legislation is to create a deterrent for those who blatantly lie in reporting a crime, so that those who do, experience the full force of the law,” Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said in a statement.

The Senate voted 32-0 for the bill. It now goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.

Carlee Russell, who admitting her kidnapping story was a hoax, pleaded guilty in March to misdemeanor charges of false reporting to law enforcement and falsely reporting an incident. She apologized for her actions.