Bill > AB336

This bill amends Section 452 of the California Penal Code to modify criminal penalties related to unlawfully causing fires. Specifically, the bill eliminates the option of charging certain fire-related offenses as misdemeanors and mandates that they be prosecuted as felonies. The bill creates stricter penalties for different scenarios of fire-related criminal actions: causing a fire that results in great bodily injury, causing a fire that burns an inhabited structure or property, and causing a fire of a structure or forest land will now all be classified as felonies punishable by imprisonment in state prison and a fine up to $10,000. The only exception is unlawfully causing a fire of personal property, which remains a misdemeanor unless it causes injury to another person or their property. Additionally, the bill maintains existing provisions about consecutive sentencing for individuals already confined in prison who commit fire-related offenses and adds a provision that committing such an offense to facilitate organized retail theft can be considered an aggravating factor during sentencing. The bill also includes a clause stating that no state reimbursement is required for local agencies because the changes relate to criminal penalties.

Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB336