Petty theft: enhancements for prior convictions.

Existing law provides that petty theft is a misdemeanor, except that every person who, having been convicted 3 or more times of a qualifying offense is subsequently convicted of petty theft is subject to imprisonment in the county jail for up to one year for a misdemeanor, or in the county jail for a felony for 16 months, or 2 or 3 years. Existing law also provides that persons required to register as sex offenders, or with a prior serious or violent felony conviction, who have been convicted and imprisoned for the commission of a qualified offense and who are subsequently convicted of petty theft are subject to imprisonment in a county jail for one year for a misdemeanor or in the state prison for 16 months, or 2 or 3 years for a felony with one prior qualifying offense. This bill would make a conviction for theft, embezzlement, forgery, fraud, or identity theft, as specified, against an elder or dependent adult a qualifying offense for each of the sentencing regimens described above. By expanding the punishment for an existing 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.