Bill > AB476

This bill enhances regulations around metal theft and scrap metal transactions by requiring junk dealers and recyclers to maintain more detailed records of their purchases, including the specific time and amount paid for each transaction, the name of the employee handling the sale, and a signed statement about the item's ownership. The bill expands the list of prohibited materials that cannot be purchased without written certification from the original owning agency, now including items like street lights, traffic signals, solar street lighting components, cameras, air quality sensors, digital signs, and electric vehicle chargers. The legislation increases criminal penalties for individuals who knowingly purchase stolen metal or infrastructure-related materials, raising the maximum fine from $1,000 to $5,000 for dealers who buy metals without verifying the seller's legal right to sell them. The bill aims to deter metal theft by creating more stringent documentation requirements and higher financial consequences for violations, with a particular focus on protecting public infrastructure and utility equipment from theft and unauthorized resale. Additionally, the bill mandates that junk dealers and recyclers who accidentally receive prohibited materials must notify law enforcement by the end of the next business day and set aside the items pending investigation.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB476