BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 316
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 316 (Carter)
As Amended May 27, 2011
Majority vote
PUBLIC SAFETY 7-0 APPROPRIATIONS 17-0
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Ayes:|Ammiano, Knight, Cedillo, |Ayes:|Fuentes, Harkey, |
| |Hagman, Hill, Mitchell, | |Blumenfield, Bradford, |
| |Skinner | |Charles Calderon, Campos, |
| | | |Davis, Donnelly, Gatto, |
| | | |Hall, Hill, Lara, |
| | | |Mitchell, Nielsen, Norby, |
| | | |Solorio, Wagner |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY : Creates a fine for grand theft of copper.
Specifically, this bill creates a fine not to exceed $2,500 in
addition to existing imprisonment provisions for every person
who feloniously 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 $950.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Defines "grand theft" as any theft where the money, labor, or
real or personal property taken or when the property is taken
from the person of another is of a value exceeding $950.
2)Provides that grand theft is committed when the money, labor,
or real or personal property taken is of a value in excess of
$950, except as specified.
3)Provides that notwithstanding the value of the property taken,
grand theft is committed in any of the following cases:
a) When domestic fowls, avocados, or other farm crops are
taken of a value exceeding $250;
b) When fish or other aquacultural products are taken from
a commercial or research operation that is producing that
AB 316
Page 2
product of a value exceeding $250;
c) Where money, labor or property is taken by a servant or
employee from his or her principal and aggregates $950 or
more in any consecutive 12-month period;
d) When the property is taken from the person of another;
or,
e) When the property taken is, among other things, an
automobile, horse or firearm. Provides that if the grand
theft involves the theft of a firearm, it is punishable by
imprisonment in state prison for 16 months, 2 or 3 years.
4)Provides that in all other cases, grand theft is punishable by
imprisonment in county jail for not more than one year or in
the state prison.
5)Provides that theft in other cases is petty theft.
6)States that petty theft is punishable by a fine not exceeding
$1,000; by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding six
months; or, both.
7)Provides that any person who enters specified buildings,
including a vehicle, railroad car, locked or sealed cargo
container, whether or not mounted on a vehicle, with intent to
commit grand or petty theft or any felony is guilty of a
burglary.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, no significant state or local costs. Unknown, likely
minor, local revenue increase from new fines.
COMMENTS : According to the author, "With the prevalence of
metal thefts from large construction sites, public utility
yards, farms, ranches, and schools, AB 316 would classify stolen
copper materials exceeding $250 dollars as grand theft and help
decrease the rise of metal theft.
"Metal theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the state
and country. The recent rise in scrap metal values has made the
theft and sale of these materials increasingly profitable. "
AB 316
Page 3
Please see the policy committee for a full discussion of this
bill.
Analysis Prepared by : Gabriel Caswell / PUB. S. / (916)
319-3744
FN: 0001026