A thank you

I would like to thank Senator Jennifer Fielder of Thompson Falls for carrying an important privacy bill (Senate Bill 50) brought by my office.

In Montana, we cherish our privacy. Many may be surprised to hear that our laws don’t really punish behavior that we can all agree is a big intrusion on privacy. Since the invention of cell phones with cameras, law enforcement has seen a rise in situations where people are inappropriately photographing, video recording, or spying on people in and around their homes, public restrooms, and dressing rooms.

In just this past year, prosecutors have seen examples were a man climbed into the ceiling of a woman’s locker room and spied on her through ceiling tiles. Another man lied to a woman and told her that there was something wrong with her car, then filmed up her skirt when she knelt down to see if there was a problem. Those are just a couple of examples. In these cases, the prosecutors could do little more than attempt to charge disorderly conduct.

Partnering with Sen. Fielder, we’re working to fix that problem. In SB 50, we are updating the laws to cover real-life incidents that violate individual privacy.

Senator Fielder moved SB 50 through the legislative process with strong bipartisan support, and she got it signed into law as the legislature adjourned for its mid-session break. I am grateful for her hard work on this bill and her dedication to the people of Montana.

Tim Fox

Attorney General of Montana