False imprisonment: false arrest: remedies.

Removed the amendment to Section 3301 of the Civil Code, which would have made nonsubstantive changes to the rule that damages for breach of contract must be clearly ascertainable in both nature and origin. This provision was described as nonsubstantive in the original digest.

The bill's title and legislative counsel's digest were narrowed to cover only the false imprisonment/false arrest remedy (Section 3344.4), dropping the breach of contract damages topic entirely.

Added an entirely new Section 3344.4 to the Civil Code creating a statutory damages framework for false imprisonment and false arrest, which did not exist in the introduced version.

Added legislative findings identifying concerns about private individuals pretending to be law enforcement or emulating their methods in committing false arrests and imprisonments.

A prevailing plaintiff may elect $10,000 per aggravating factor (wearing a face covering to conceal identity, using handcuffs or restraints, forcibly transporting the victim in a vehicle, or brandishing a firearm or deadly weapon) in lieu of actual damages.

Set a cap of $250,000 per incident for aggregate statutory damages awarded to a single person under the new section.

Exempted peace officers, custodial officers (as defined in Penal Code Chapter 4.5), and public entities that employ them from the new statutory damages provisions, effectively limiting the regime to private actors.

Made all defendants jointly and severally liable for amounts awarded under the new section for a single incident of false imprisonment or false arrest.

The original Section 3301 change (rewording 'No damages can be recovered' to 'Damages shall not be recovered') was retained but renumbered as the final section of the bill.

Added a severability clause stating that if any provision is held invalid, the remaining provisions continue in effect.