AB 1218 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Copper theft.

Summary

Under existing law it is grand theft to steal copper materials valued at more than $950. A violation of this provision is punishable either as a misdemeanor or a felony by imprisonment in county jail and specified fines. This bill would make it a crime to unlawfully possess copper materials, as specified. The bill would define what it means to "unlawfully possess" copper materials to include possessing without documentation proving lawful possession. The bill would prescribe the information that constitutes proof of lawful possession, as specified, including the identity of the seller and the date of the transaction. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would also prohibit a person from falsifying any record intending to show proof of lawful possession. By creating a new crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law prohibits any collector or dealer of metals to purchase certain junk metals, as specified, without first ascertaining that the seller legally possesses the materials. Existing law also requires the dealer to obtain evidence of the identity of the seller, including, but not limited to, the seller's name and address. This bill would require any collector or dealer of metals to ascertain the location from which the purchased material was obtained. Existing law makes it a crime for a person who is engaged in the salvage, recycling, purchase, or sale of scrap metal to possess certain items that have been stolen or obtained by theft or extortion, as specified, and requires that the person knew or reasonably should have known that the property was stolen or failed to report possession of the items, as specified. This bill would additionally prohibit a person who is engaged in the salvage, recycling, purchase, or sale of scrap metal, as specified, from possessing certain items knowing that those items were possessed without proof of lawful possession. 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.

Issues: ✗ Criminal Justice

Bill status failed 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 21, 2025 Last action Feb 2, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

03/24/25 - Amended Assembly → AB1218 · 1 edit

MINOR

No substantive policy changes were made between these two versions. The diff reflects a change in document presentation format: the old version used a traditional legislative document layout with line numbers and page headers, while the new version is a web-page rendering of the same bill text with navigation elements added. All operative provisions (Sections 487j, 496a, and 496e) remain identical in content.

TECHNICAL

The bill was republished in a web-friendly format replacing the traditional legislative document layout (with line numbers, page headers, and column formatting) with a structured web page that includes navigation menus, search tools, and metadata fields. No changes to the actual statutory language or policy content were made.

02/21/25 - Introduced → 03/24/25 - Amended Assembly · 10 edits · Mar 24, 2025

MAJOR

AB 1218 was dramatically expanded from a minor technical fix to a major new criminal statute targeting copper theft. The amended bill now creates a new crime of 'unlawfully possessing' copper materials without proof of lawful possession, defines what constitutes valid proof, adds a separate crime for falsifying possession records, and imposes new documentation and location-tracking requirements on scrap metal dealers and collectors. The bill now amends three Penal Code sections instead of one.

SCOPE

The bill now amends Sections 487j, 496a, and 496e of the Penal Code instead of only Section 487j, expanding from a single technical fix to a multi-section criminal statute.

Section 496e now covers items owned by 'special districts' and 'private utilities' in addition to the previously listed public agencies, cities, counties, and private utilities.

ELIGIBILITY

A new crime is created: 'unlawfully possessing' copper materials over $950 without proof of lawful possession is now grand theft, even if the person did not steal or take the materials. A second prong covers possessing copper that ordinarily belongs to railroads, utilities, or political subdivisions without proof of lawful possession, with no dollar threshold.

DEFINITION

New definition of 'unlawfully possesses' and a new definition of what constitutes 'proof of lawful possession,' which must include: seller name/address/phone, buyer name/address/phone, material description and quantity, date of transaction, and location from which the material was obtained.

ENFORCEMENT

A new crime is created for knowingly falsifying or causing to be falsified any information in a record intended to show proof of lawful possession. Punishable by up to $2,500 fine, one year county jail, or felony with up to $10,000 fine.

Section 496e adds a new criminal liability prong: a scrap metal person who possesses covered items knowing they were possessed without proof of lawful possession (as defined in Section 487j) is now guilty of a crime, even if the items were not stolen.

REQUIREMENT

Section 496a now requires scrap metal dealers and collectors to ascertain the location from which purchased material was obtained, in addition to the existing identity verification requirements. Transaction records must include a description of the material and be maintained per Business and Professions Code Section 21607.

Section 496a lowers the knowledge standard for dealers from 'knows' to 'knows or reasonably should know' that materials belong to utilities or political subdivisions, making it easier to prosecute negligent dealers.

FISCAL

Fiscal committee review changed from 'no' to 'yes' and state-mandated local program changed from 'no' to 'yes,' reflecting the new enforcement obligations imposed on local agencies. A new Section 4 states no reimbursement is required because the act only creates or modifies crimes.

TECHNICAL

Throughout all sections, redundant phrasing 'Every A person who' was corrected to 'A person who.' The word 'internet' was added to the list of utility types in Section 496a.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Feb 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

lower

Jan 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

In committee: Set, second hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

lower

Apr 29, 2025

Lower · Passed

In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

lower

Mar 25, 2025

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

lower

Mar 24, 2025

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. Read second time and amended.

lower

Mar 24, 2025

Committee

Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

lower

Feb 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 24.

lower

Feb 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced. To print.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors