Establishes definitions that relate to the issuance of protective orders

HB 2339 is a definitional bill that clarifies terms used in Missouri's protective order system. It establishes specific meanings for terms like "abuse" (including pet abuse, harassment, and coercive control), "domestic violence," "coercive control" (e.g., isolating a person or controlling finances), and "petitioner" to ensure consistent application of protective orders. The bill does not create new offenses or change existing protections - it only standardizes language to help courts and legal professionals apply existing laws correctly. This summary focuses solely on the bill's purpose as stated in its text.