HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1408        FILED ON: 1/13/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3530

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act relative to hidden compartments in vehicles operated in the commonwealth..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Section 1: Chapter 90 of the Massachusetts General Laws is hereby amended by adding after Section 9D the following section 9E: No person shall manufacture, sell, offer for sale or trade, or operate a vehicle, in the commonwealth equipped with compartments designed for the purpose of concealing contraband.  ‘Vehicle’ includes, but is not limited to, cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, bicycles, aircrafts, helicopters, boats, ships, yachts, and other vessels.  ‘Compartments’ means any enclosure that is intended and designed to be used to conceal, hide, or prevent discovery by law enforcement officers of the compartment, or its contents, and which is integrated into or attached to a vehicle.  The term ‘compartments’ includes, but is not limited to:

False, altered, or modified fuel tanks;

Any original factory equipment on a vehicle that has been modified to conceal, hide, or prevent discovery of its contents; and

Any compartment, space, or box that is added or attached to existing compartments, spaces, or boxes integrated into or attached to a vehicle.

The discovery of contraband in such a compartment shall be evidence of a violation of this section. Violations of any provisions of this section shall be punishable by a fine, suspension of operator’s license or imprisonment.