The proposed bill would amend the current harassment statute, specifically A.R.S. § 13-2921, by narrowing the definition of harassment. Under current law, a person commits harassment if they knowingly and repeatedly commit acts that harass another person or knowingly commit specific acts in a manner that harasses. The bill would change this to state that a person commits harassment only if they act with the intent to harass another person. Additionally, the bill introduces a defense to prosecution, asserting that acts directed towards public officials are not considered harassment if they constitute criticism.

Furthermore, the bill makes several technical changes, including the modification of terms such as changing "professional investigator" to "private investigator" and clarifying the regulatory status of investigators and peace officers. It also reclassifies the penalties for harassment, maintaining that harassment under subsection A is a class 1 misdemeanor and harassment under subsection B is a class 5 felony. Overall, these updates aim to refine the legal framework surrounding harassment, particularly in relation to public officials and the intent behind actions deemed harassing.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 13-2921
House Engrossed Version: 13-2921