Pennsylvania Act 2008-107 — MOTOR VEHICLE CHOP SHOP AND ILLEGALLY OBTAINED AND ALTERED PROPERTY ACT - DEFINITION OF "CHOP SHOP"

Act text

MOTOR VEHICLE CHOP SHOP AND ILLEGALLY OBTAINED AND ALTERED PROPERTY ACT -
                        DEFINITION OF "CHOP SHOP"
                 Act of Oct. 9, 2008, P.L. 1392, No. 107              Cl. 75
                             Session of 2008
                               No. 2008-107

     HB 1147

                                  AN ACT

     Amending the act of November 24, 1998 (P.L.874, No.110),
        entitled "An act relating to the unlawful disposition of
        motor vehicles; and providing penalties," further providing
        for the definition of "chop shop."

        The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     hereby enacts as follows:

        Section 1.  Section 2 of the act of November 24, 1998
     (P.L.874, No.110), known as the Motor Vehicle Chop Shop and
     Illegally Obtained and Altered Property Act, is amended to read:
      Section 2.  Definitions.
        The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
     have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
     context clearly indicates otherwise:
        "Chop shop."  Any building, lot or other premises where one
     or more persons engage in altering, destroying, disassembling,
     dismantling, reassembling, storing or possessing any motor
     vehicle or motor vehicle part known [by such person or persons
     to be illegally obtained] to be illegally obtained by theft,
     fraud or conspiracy to defraud in order to either:
            (1)  alter, counterfeit, deface, destroy, disguise,
        falsify, forge, obliterate or remove the identification,
        including the vehicle identification number of the motor
        vehicle or motor vehicle part, in order to misrepresent the
        identity of the motor vehicle or motor vehicle part or to
        prevent the identification of the motor vehicle or motor
        vehicle part; or
            (2)  sell or dispose of the motor vehicle or motor
        vehicle part.
        "Motor vehicle."  A vehicle which is self-propelled except
     one which is propelled solely by human power or by electric
     power obtained from overhead trolley wires but not operated upon
     rails.
        "Person."  A natural person, firm, copartnership, association
     or corporation.
        "Vehicle identification number."  A combination of numerals
     or letters, or both, which the manufacturer assigns to a vehicle
     for identification purposes or, in the absence of a manufacturer
     assigned number, which the Department of Transportation assigns
     to a vehicle for identification purposes.
        Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.

     APPROVED--The 9th day of October, A. D. 2008.

     EDWARD G. RENDELL