45-5-223. Surreptitious visual observation or recordation -- place of residence -- public establishment -- exceptions. - Montana Statutes

     45-5-223. Surreptitious visual observation or recordation -- place of residence -- public establishment -- exceptions. (1) A person commits the offense of surreptitious visual observation or recordation in a place of residence if a person purposely or knowingly hides, waits, or otherwise loiters in the vicinity of a private dwelling house, apartment, or other place of residence for the purpose of:
     (a) watching, gazing at, or looking upon any occupant in the residence in a surreptitious manner; or
     (b) by means of an electronic or mechanical recording device, surreptitiously recording the visual image of any occupant in the residence.
     (2) An owner, manager, or employee of a business or a landlord who knowingly surreptitiously records a visual image of a person in a restroom, washroom, shower, bedroom, fitting room, or other room used by a customer, guest, tenant, or member of the public to, with a reasonable expectation of privacy, change or try on clothes, bathe, perform intimate bodily functions, or appear nude or partially nude or in underclothes commits the offense of surreptitious visual recordation in a public establishment.
     (3) Subsections (1) and (2) do not apply to a law enforcement officer, an agent or employee of an insurer, or a private investigator licensed pursuant to 37-60-301 or to any person engaged in fraud detection, prevention, or prosecution pursuant to 2-15-2015 or 39-71-211 while the officer, agent, employee, or private investigator is acting in the course and scope of employment for legitimate investigative purposes.
     (4) (a) A person convicted of the offense of surreptitious visual observation or recordation in a place of residence shall be fined an amount not to exceed $500 or be incarcerated in the county jail for a term not to exceed 6 months, or both. Upon a second conviction, a person shall be fined an amount not to exceed $1,000 or be incarcerated for a term not to exceed 1 year, or both. Upon a third or subsequent conviction, a person shall be fined an amount not to exceed $10,000 or be incarcerated for a term not to exceed 5 years, or both.
     (b) A person convicted of the offense of surreptitious visual recordation in a public establishment shall be fined an amount not to exceed $1,000 or incarcerated for a term not to exceed 6 months, or both, if the victim was an adult and shall be fined an amount not to exceed $5,000 or incarcerated for a term not to exceed 2 years, or both, if the victim was a minor."

     History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 62, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 303, L. 1997.