This bill amends Section 45-2-101 of the Montana Code Annotated by introducing clear definitions for "reasonable apprehension of bodily injury" and "reasonable apprehension of serious bodily injury." The new legal language specifies that "reasonable apprehension of bodily injury" refers to a belief that bodily injury is imminent, even if it ultimately does not occur, and that this belief would be held by a reasonable person under similar circumstances. Similarly, "reasonable apprehension of serious bodily injury" is defined as a belief that serious bodily injury is imminent, with the same conditions regarding the belief's reasonableness. The bill retains existing definitions related to bodily injury and serious bodily injury, aiming to enhance the understanding of these concepts within the legal system.

Additionally, the bill updates definitions related to legal proceedings and property crimes, including terms such as "State," "Statute," and "Stolen property." Notable changes include a revised definition of "value," which specifies how to assess the worth of stolen property based on market value or replacement cost, and clarifies that if the value of property cannot be determined to be more or less than $1,500, it will be considered less than that amount. These updates are intended to improve the clarity and effectiveness of legal definitions in Montana's statutes, guiding law enforcement and judicial processes.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 45-2-101