Operating a vehicle or vessel containing a false compartment; penalty. (SB234)
Introduced By
Sen. Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
✗ |
Passed Committee |
☐ |
Passed House |
☐ |
Passed Senate |
☐ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Operating a vehicle or vessel containing a false compartment; penalty. Provides that it is a Class 6 felony for a person to (i) own or operate a vehicle or vessel containing a false or secret compartment, (ii) install, create, build, or fabricate in any vehicle or vessel a false or secret compartment, or (iii) sell, trade, or otherwise dispose of any vehicle or vessel containing a false or secret compartment. The bill defines a "false or secret compartment" as any enclosure that is integrated into or attached to a vehicle or vessel, the purpose of which is to conceal, hide, or prevent the discovery of a person, controlled substance, or other contraband. Read the Bill »
Outcome
Bill Has Failed
History
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| 01/03/2014 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/08/14 14103184D |
| 01/03/2014 | Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice |
| 01/09/2014 | Impact statement from VCSC (SB234) |
| 01/20/2014 | Continued to 2015 in Courts of Justice (13-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
Comments
This bit is the bill's Achilles heel. The intent of a hidden compartment is impossible to divine unless somebody is caught with contraband in that compartment. Realistically, the only purpose of this is to have yet another thing to charge somebody with after they're caught running drugs. The mere presence of a hidden compartment in somebody's car (which sounds awesome, and now I want one) won't be actionable, because intent couldn't be proven.
Good analysis, Waldo. Has something like this become law in any other state? If so, how have the courts treated it?