Committee reviews H.223: new stalking language, vehicle-tracking misdemeanor and a process for survivors to disable connected-vehicle accounts

The committee began consideration of H.223, a multi-part bill that would amend criminal stalking definitions, create a new offense for nonconsensual vehicle tracking, and add civil and administrative steps to help survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking disconnect abusers from connected-vehicle services.

Michelle Childs (Office of Legislative Council) summarized the bill and explained that sponsors worked with legislative staff and stakeholder groups to draft language addressing modern vehicle telematics and tracking technologies.

Stalking definition and electronic surveillance

The draft amends the statutory definition of "course of conduct" for stalking to explicitly include the use of electronic, digital or GPS systems to surveil a specific person or to monitor a specific person—s internet or wireless activity "continuously for 2 hours or more or on 2 or more occasions" without the person—s consent. The draft also cross-references conduct defined in a separate new section (section 10-65 in the draft) so that certain tracking and connected-vehicle conduct can constitute a "course of conduct" for stalking purposes.

New criminal offense for vehicle tracking

H.223 would create a misdemeanor prohibiting knowingly installing,…