SPONSOR: Murphy
This bill adds to the offense of burglary in the second degree when a person unlawfully enters a motor vehicle or any part of a motor vehicle with the intent to commit a theft or any felony. The bill defines "enters" as a person intruding with any part of the body or any physical object connected with the body. If a person who commits a violation under this provision was in possession of a firearm at the time or stole a firearm from the motor vehicle during the violation, he or she is guilty of a class C felony.
The bill also creates the offense of unlawfully gaining entry into a motor vehicle, which a person commits if he or she lifts the door handles or otherwise tries the doors and locks of successive vehicles in an attempt to gain entry. A violation of this section is a class E felony. A person does not commit the offense of unlawfully gaining entry into a motor vehicle if the person is the owner of the vehicle or has the owner's permission to enter the vehicle.
This bill is the same as HB 1510 (2024) and HCS HB 187 & 570 (2023).
Statutes affected: