HAY YOU GUYS
Remember when I was bitching about this loophole in the law that let auto scrapyards build their business on scrapping stolen cars, and how easy it would be to fix? Well, they fuckin fixed it! I am so excited. Unfortunately, this isn't the end of the scrapyards and their business model based on fucking over legitimate car owners, because there's a provision in there that while the scrapyards must notify you, they can hang onto your car until you pay "ALL TOWING, RECOVERY, AND STORAGE CHARGES OWED TO THE AUTOMOTIVE DISMANTLER AND RECYCLER OR SCRAP PROCESSOR." What this basically means is that the scrapyard will buy your car from the thief, then hold it hostage until you pay them back the money they gave the thief, plus some "fees" they add for their trouble. Unfortunately this won't deter scrapyards from accepting clearly stolen cars, because they will still be allowed to profit from it.
BUT this is still good news. While the car's legitimate owner will still be on the hook for the losses and left to chase down the thief in vain hope of restitution, they will at least have their fucking car back! I can't overstate the importance of this. I've seen people lose cars in beautiful condition, that they replied upon to get to work, scrapped for $300 given to the thief, with no recourse. The worst was a guy who was a contractor- his truck was literally his livelihood, and he didn't have the $20 or $30 k it would have cost to buy another. It was paid off and everything.
In other news, possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana (about a third of an ounce) is now punishable by $500 or 90 days in jail (effective Oct. 1). Because you only have a right to a jury trial if a crime is punishable by more than 90 days in jail, that means no more jury trial prayers for fucking one piece marijuana cases! Personally I wanted the penalty lowered to fine only (if you risk ANY jail time, you have a jury trial right on appeal) but I guess this was an easier sell. (In point of fact I'm in favor of marijuana legalization, but this state isn't there yet.)
BUT this is still good news. While the car's legitimate owner will still be on the hook for the losses and left to chase down the thief in vain hope of restitution, they will at least have their fucking car back! I can't overstate the importance of this. I've seen people lose cars in beautiful condition, that they replied upon to get to work, scrapped for $300 given to the thief, with no recourse. The worst was a guy who was a contractor- his truck was literally his livelihood, and he didn't have the $20 or $30 k it would have cost to buy another. It was paid off and everything.
In other news, possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana (about a third of an ounce) is now punishable by $500 or 90 days in jail (effective Oct. 1). Because you only have a right to a jury trial if a crime is punishable by more than 90 days in jail, that means no more jury trial prayers for fucking one piece marijuana cases! Personally I wanted the penalty lowered to fine only (if you risk ANY jail time, you have a jury trial right on appeal) but I guess this was an easier sell. (In point of fact I'm in favor of marijuana legalization, but this state isn't there yet.)