An act to amend Sections 21606 and 21609.1 of the Business and Professions Code, and to amend Sections 496a and 496e of the Penal Code, relating to metal theft.
Summary
AB 476 updates California’s metal-theft laws by tightening recordkeeping rules for junk dealers and recyclers and by expanding the list of public infrastructure items that are specially protected from theft, possession, and resale. The bill requires junk dealers and recyclers to record additional transaction details, including the time and amount paid, the employee handling the transaction, and a signed ownership/transfer statement, while also refining the description of the junk purchased or sold.
The bill also broadens the prohibited-materials list to cover a wider range of public assets, especially street lights, traffic signals, related electrical and communications equipment, sewer and stormwater equipment, irrigation wiring, plaques, broadband infrastructure, electric vehicle chargers, and water meters. It increases criminal fines from $3,000 to $5,000 for possession of certain stolen public-property items and from $1,000 to $5,000 for criminally receiving specified utility-related metals without due diligence, while preserving existing misdemeanor and other criminal penalties where applicable.
Impact
AB 476 amends Business and Professions Code sections 21606 and 21609.1 and Penal Code sections 496a and 496e. It expands the compliance obligations of junk dealers and recyclers, increases documentation and reporting requirements, and enlarges the category of public and utility infrastructure items that trigger criminal liability when stolen or unlawfully possessed. The bill also raises maximum fines for certain metal-theft offenses and declares that no state reimbursement is required for local agencies because the measure changes criminal definitions and penalties.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial in the Legislature. The voting history shows unanimous or near-unanimous approval at each stage, including committee votes and floor votes with no recorded opposition. The lack of committee transcript material suggests there was little publicly documented debate, and the measure advanced as a targeted anti-theft and public-infrastructure protection bill.
Contention
No major opposition is reflected in the available record. The main policy choice in the bill is the expansion of regulated items and higher fines, which may increase compliance burdens for junk dealers and recyclers and broaden criminal exposure for scrap-metal businesses and individuals handling stolen materials. Any potential concern would likely center on the scope of the new prohibited-items list and the increased penalties, but the voting record indicates those issues did not generate recorded dissent.