BOISE -- An Idaho lawmaker says it's time to make planting a hoax bomb a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.
Rep. Marv Hagedorn, a Meridian Republican, told the House State Affairs committee Wednesday that hoax bombs waste the time of local law enforcement and scare customers from businesses.
His measure aims to punish people who plant or send a fake bomb but want others to think the bomb is real. Committee members held the bill, saying they have problems with some of its language but can understand the motivation behind it.
Hagedorn said police officers contacted him after an incident at the Boise Towne Square mall last February. A man planted several bombs around the mall, forcing about 2,000 people to evacuate and shutting down stores inside the mall for several hours.
