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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

95

Introduced by Senator Stern

February 19, 2026

An act to amend Section 487j of the Penal Code, relating to crimes.

Vote: 2/3   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: yes

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law, the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, enacted by Proposition 47, as approved by the voters at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election, requires the theft of property that does not exceed $950 to be punished as a misdemeanor, except as specified. Proposition 47 authorizes amendment of its provisions by a ⅔ vote of the Members of each house of the Legislature so long as the amendments are consistent with and further the intent of the act.

Under existing law, it is grand theft to steal, take, or carry away copper materials of another valued at more than $950.

This bill would amend Proposition 47 to require, for the purposes of this provision, value to be calculated as the full cost to the victim to repair and replace the stolen materials, including labor and equipment, rather than the fair market scrap value. equipment that was damaged or destroyed by the stealing, taking, or carrying away, as specified. Because this bill would expand the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 487j of the Penal Code is amended to read:

487j.

(a) Every person who steals, takes, or carries away copper materials of another, including, but not limited to, copper wire, copper cable, copper tubing, and copper piping, which are of a value exceeding nine hundred fifty dollars ($950) is guilty of grand theft. Grand theft of copper shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500), by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment, or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 and a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000).

(b) For purposes of this section, ”value” instead of using fair market scrap value, “value” shall be calculated as the full cost to the victim to repair and replace the stolen materials, including labor and equipment, rather than the fair market scrap value. equipment that was damaged or destroyed by the stealing, taking, or carrying away. “Value” shall not include the cost of labor.

SEC. 2.

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution.