The bill proposes significant revisions to sentencing laws for various offenses in Montana, including theft, forgery, and identity theft. It raises penalty thresholds and redefines key terms, such as the definition of "common scheme," which previously required a pecuniary loss of at least $1,500 to the victim, a stipulation that has been deleted. The amendments include increased maximum fines and prison terms for offenses involving property valued over $1,500, with theft penalties now allowing for fines up to $50,000 and prison terms of up to 10 years for certain offenses. Additionally, the bill modifies penalties for failure to return rented property and issuing bad checks, establishing harsher consequences for offenders involved in a common scheme or for checks exceeding $1,500.

Furthermore, the bill enhances penalties for forgery, raising the maximum fine from $1,500 to $50,000 and the imprisonment term from 10 years to 20 years for offenses that are part of a common scheme or exceed specified values. It also increases the maximum fine for identity theft offenses where the economic benefit exceeds $1,500 to $10,000, with stricter penalties if the victim is a minor or vulnerable adult. The effective date for these changes is set for July 1, 2025, reflecting a comprehensive approach to strengthening the legal framework surrounding property crimes in Montana.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_1(1): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_1(2): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_1(3): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_1(4): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_1(5): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_1(6): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_1: 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_2(1): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_2(10): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_2(11): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_2(12): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_2(13): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_2(2): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_2(3): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_2(4): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_2(5): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_2(6): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_2(7): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_2(8): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_2(9): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_2: 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_3(1): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_3(2): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_3(3): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_3(4): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_3(5): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_3(6): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_3(7): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_3: 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_X(1): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_X(2): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_X(3): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_X(4): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_X(5): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_X(6): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_X(7): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_X(8): 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345
SB0019_X: 45-2-101, 45-6-301, 45-6-309, 45-6-316, 45-6-317, 45-6-325, 45-6-332, 45-6-345