Memorials.

Existing law makes it a crime for a person to destroy, cut, mutilate, deface, or otherwise injure, tear down, or remove any tomb, monument, memorial, or marker in a cemetery. Existing law also makes it a crime to knowingly buy or receive any property that has been stolen or that has been obtained in any manner constituting theft or extortion. This bill would make a it a crime to receive a grave marker or other structure designed to commemorate the grave a veteran, peace officer, firefighter, or other first responder that the person knows, or reasonably should know, is stolen. The bill would also specifically make it a crime to damage, deface, destroy, mutilate, or remove, among other things, an American flag or veteran's grave marker from the grave of a veteran, peace officer, firefighter, or other first responder. The bill would also make it a crime to damage, deface, destroy, mutilate, or remove any object or structure set to memorialize a veteran, peace officer, firefighter, or other first responder. 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.