Wow, seriously? You guys are a bunch of paranoid tinfoil hat wearers. This is is being introduced because of all the people busted with secret compartments for heroin and drugs, cash from selling those drugs and illegally owned firearms to protect the drugs and cash. These vehicles are being driven by thugs and scumbags, not "middle aged white suburbanites". Honestly, if that is considered "stacking the charges" then who gives a shit? One more charge on another scumbag drug dealer that the court will have to justify throwing out. I seriously doubt you middle aged white guys driving your Prius into Boston have to worry
You must be joking, playing Devil's advocate for humor value.
I love our constitution. Served to protect it.
This is about those hides engineered with hydraulics or hidden buttons to release it, or a series of buttons knobs and switches to open a hide. I doubt any of you keep your firearms in a compartment like that when traveling. Did you hack your cars roof off and fill it with ARs and ammo then Bondo it, paint it and put it back on just to go to the range? No.
Wait.. Wat? Maybe not joking. What difference does it make how it's constructed?
I will agree that is messed up. We cannot allow MA to write ours the same way, "operating a vehicle containing a hide". If it's not being used to hide drugs or cash or something then you really don't have anything. It could be the person had no idea it was there and should not be charged. Adding on another charge for scumbags trafficking heroin isn't a bad thing.
Did you even read the bill? Simply *having* the hidey hole is a felony, even if it's empty, even if you didn't know it's there (used car).
I don't think I made my argument clear. I'm not against hides in general, just the ones these scumbags are using for their illegal crap. If a licensed person wants to tear up their car to hide a legal firearm, fine. A bit wierd and can raise some eyebrows and may lead to some questions to make sure everything is good to go but whatever. Which is why this needs to be written in such a way that only scumbags will be charged with it.
Well it's NY so I'm not surprised. That needs to change. Being charged and convicted/sentenced are totally different. That just reinforces why this needs to be written carefully.
What the hell is wrong with you? Who's the scumbag? The black guy? The guy with couple grams of weed? The gun owner? Ask Maura Healey.
"just scumbags"? That's the most... I was going to say "laughable", but it's not, because "laughable" implies "funny"; but it's not funny, it's downright unpatriotic and angry-making and dangerous to a free society. Everyone who gets arrested is a scumbag, otherwise they wouldn't get arrested, right? And even if someone *is* a scumbag, having a secret place to hide stuff is protected by the 4th Amendment! Even scumbags have rights; that's why we call them rights.
Ya cuz u know me so well right?
Well, based on what you've written here, I know you well enough. Unless you're having a seizure and this isn't your normal personality.
Again, nothing wrong with a hide for porn. Unless you start putting illegal crap in there for the purpose if hiding and transporting and get busted with it in the hide. Thus would have to be a charge added in when busted with drugs or something in there. Not just and empty hide. I see my argument is falling on deaf ears so why bother? If you like dealers and scumbags in your neighborhoods then don't support this. But don't complain when they're in your neighborhood "conducting business"
Why is hiding something illegal any more than simply having it? What's the difference between "hiding" something in the spare tire well and in a special custom place? What's the difference between "hiding" something in a bag in the trunk and in the tire well?
Why do you think "add on" charges are OK? That's a serious question. I think they're a terrible idea. They're a ham-fisted way for law enforcement to convict people without sufficient evidence. It's pretty common to charge someone with *way* more things than are reasonable so they'll plead down to something less (but the state still gets a conviction!) without the state needing to actually defend the charges.
If someone has done something wrong, charge him with the something. It's offensive to simply pile on crap so it's impossible to dig out, even if you've done nothing wrong.