PENALTY FOR BUYING, POSSESSING STOLEN VEHICLE

House Bills 5149 and 5150

Sponsor: Rep. Laura M. Toy

Committee: Criminal Justice

Complete to 10-14-02

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILLS 5149 AND 5150 AS INTRODUCED 10-9-01

Currently, buying, receiving, possessing, concealing or aiding the concealment of stolen, embezzled, or converted money or goods is a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 10 years or a fine of not more than $15,000 or three times the value of the property involved, or both imprisonment and a fine.

House Bill 5149 would amend the Michigan Penal Code (MCL 750.535) to create a separate crime for actions involving stolen motor vehicles. Under the bill, a person could not buy, receive, possess, conceal, or aid in the concealment of a stolen motor vehicle knowing that the vehicle had been stolen, embezzled, or converted. A violation would be a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than five years or a fine of not more than $10,000 or three times the value of the vehicle, whichever was greater, or both imprisonment and a fine. Further, a person who was charged with, convicted of, or punished for a violation of the bill could not be convicted of or punished for a violation of another provision of Section 535 of the code that arose from the purchase, receipt, possession, concealment, or aiding in the concealment of the same vehicle.

House Bill 5150 would amend the Code of Criminal Procedure (MCL 777.16z) to specify that receiving or concealing a motor vehicle would be a Class E property offense with a statutory maximum term of imprisonment of five years.

 

Analyst: S. Stutzky

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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.