Chapter definitions
This section gives the definitions for words used throughout Chapter 569 of Missouri law. A cave or cavern is any natural underground space a person can enter. Entering unlawfully means going into or staying in a place without permission — but if a place is open to the public, a person has permission unless someone in charge tells them to leave. A nuclear power plant means a facility that makes electricity using a nuclear reactor, but only the fenced or enclosed area. A teller machine is an ATM or similar machine owned by a bank or business that lets people do banking without help from another person — personal phones or devices do not count. To tamper means to mess with something in a wrong way or temporarily take it from its owner. A utility is a company that provides services like gas, water, electric, internet, or phone service.
569.010. Chapter definitions. — As used in this chapter the following terms mean:
(1) "Cave or cavern", any naturally occurring cavity enterable by a person including, without limitation, a pit, pothole, natural well, grotto, and tunnel, whether or not the opening has a natural entrance;
(2) "Enter or remain unlawfully", a person enters or remains in or upon when he or she is not to do so. A person who, regardless of his or her purpose, enters or remains in or upon premises which are at the time open to the public does so with and unless he or she defies a lawful not to enter or remain, personally communicated to him or her by the owner of such premises or by other person. A license or privilege to enter or remain in a building which is only partly open to the public is not a license or privilege to enter or remain in that part of the building which is not open to the public;
(3) "Nuclear power plant", a power generating facility that produces electricity by means of a owned by a or a utility. Nuclear power plant shall be limited to property within the , as defined in section 563.011;
(4) "", an automated teller machine (ATM) or interactive teller machine (ITM) is a remote computer owned or controlled by a or a private business that allows individuals to obtain financial services including obtaining cash, transferring or transmitting money or digital currencies, payment of bills, or loading money or to a payment card or other device without physical in-person assistance from another person. "Teller machine" does not include personally owned electronic devices used to access financial services;
(5) "To ", to interfere with something improperly, to meddle with it, displace it, make alterations in its existing condition, or to , temporarily, the owner or possessor of that thing;
(6) "Utility", an enterprise which provides gas, electric, steam, water, sewage disposal, or communication, video, internet, or services, and any . It may be either publicly or privately owned or operated.
Tap any gold-underlined word to see what it means.
Red section numbers link to that law.
Source & history notes
(L. 1977 S.B. 60, A.L. 2014 S.B. 491, A.L. 2018 H.B. 1797, A.L. 2023 S.B. 186)
Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.