Harassment: child or ward.

Under existing law, any person who intentionally harasses the child or ward of any other person because of that person's employment is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding 6 months, or by a fine not exceeding $1,000, or both. Under existing law, that crime is punishable by mandatory imprisonment in a county jail for not less than 5 days for a 2nd conviction, and by mandatory imprisonment in a county jail for not less than 30 days for a 3rd or subsequent conviction. This bill would make a violation of the above provisions punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine not exceeding $10,000, or by both that fine and imprisonment for a first conviction. For a 2nd conviction, the bill would require a fine not exceeding $20,000 and imprisonment in a county jail for a period of not less than 5 days but not exceeding one year. For a 3rd or subsequent conviction, the bill would require a fine not exceeding $30,000 and imprisonment in a county jail for a period of not less than 30 days but not exceeding one year. The bill would specify that harassment means knowing and willful conduct directed at a specific child or ward that seriously alarms, annoys, torments, or terrorizes the child or ward, and that serves no legitimate purpose, including, but not limited to, that conduct occurring during the course of any actual or attempted recording of the child's or ward's image or voice without the written consent of the child's or ward's parent or legal guardian, by following the child's or ward's activities or by lying in wait. The bill would specify that, upon a violation of the above provisions, a parent or legal guardian of an aggrieved child or ward may bring a civil action against the violator on behalf of the child or ward for specified remedies. The bill would additionally provide that the act of transmitting, publishing, or broadcasting a recording of the image or voice of a child does not constitute commission of the offense. By increasing the punishment for 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.