Bill > HB521

This bill updates Kentucky's stalking laws by redefining "course of conduct" to include a pattern of at least two acts that show a continuous purpose, which can involve following, monitoring, threatening, or interfering with another person's property, and explicitly includes acts committed through electronic means like social media platforms. It establishes stalking as a Class D felony, but elevates it to a Class C felony if certain aggravating circumstances are present, such as the existence of a protective order, a pending criminal complaint, a prior felony or Class A misdemeanor conviction against the same victim, the use of a deadly weapon, or if the acts cause the victim to reasonably fear sexual contact, physical injury, or death. The bill also repeals existing laws on stalking in the first and second degrees, consolidates the definition of stalking into a single section, and makes conforming changes to various other statutes related to protective orders, criminal procedure, and penalties, while ensuring that existing restraining orders, interpersonal protective orders, and domestic violence orders remain valid.

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https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26RS/hb521.html