The bill would amend the Penal Code as it relates to the punishment for the offense of unlawful use of a criminal instrument.  Under the provisions of the bill, vehicle would be added to the list of items whose unlawful use as a criminal instrument would be punishable as a criminal offense and would make possession with intent to commit a criminal offense punishable at the category intended if the instrument was a vehicle modified for the purpose of concealing certain offenses. Under current statute, possession of a criminal instrument with intent to commit a criminal offense is punishable one category lower than the offense intended.  

Expanding the list of items for which possession is a criminal offense is expected to increase correctional supervision and/or incarceration populations and thereby increase demands on county and/or state correctional resources. The state is responsible for confining convicted felony offenders and supervising them when released to parole. With funding support from the state, local probation departments are responsible for supervising convicted felony offenders under community supervision. However, it is assumed the number of offenders supervised or incarcerated under this statute would not significantly impact state correctional agency resources.