California AB 1941 — Organized metal theft.

California, 20252026. AB 1941: Organized metal theft.

Plural source record ↗

Official legislative source ↗

Latest action

September 30, 2026 — Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 838, Statutes of 2026.

Summary

Existing law makes a person who is a dealer in or collector of junk, metals, or secondhand materials, or their agent, employee, or representative, who buys or receives any wire, cable, copper, lead, solder, mercury, iron, or brass that the person knows or reasonably should know is used by or belongs to specified entities, including a railroad, certain utility companies, or a public entity engaged in furnishing public utility service, without using due diligence to ascertain that the person selling or delivering that material has a legal right to do so, guilty of criminally receiving that property and, in addition to imprisonment, makes that act punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000. This bill would prohibit organized metal theft, described as acting in concert with one or more persons to steal metal materials from one or more of specified materials and items with the intent to sell, exchange, or return those metal materials for value, acting in concert with 2 or more persons to receive, purchase, or possess those metal materials knowing or believing it to have been stolen, acting as an agent of another to steal those metal materials as part of an organized plan to commit theft, or recruiting, coordinating, organizing, supervising, directing, managing, or financing another to undertake acts of theft of metal. The bill would make a violation of organized metal theft punishable as either a misdemeanor or a felony. The bill would make related findings and declarations and state the intent of the Legislature. By creating new crimes, the 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.

Sponsors

• Mark González — primary sponsor
• Solache
• Rubio
• Ahrens
• Alanis
• Castillo
• Davies
• Ellis
• Haney
• Hoover
• Macedo
• Patel
• Sanchez
• Schiavo
• Ta
• Wallis
• Alvarado-Gil
• Archuleta
• Hurtado
• Niello
• Ochoa Bogh
• Pérez
• Valladares

Bill text

AB1941 Read version ↗

02/13/26 - Introduced Read version ↗

03/26/26 - Amended Assembly Read version ↗

06/04/26 - Amended Senate Read version ↗

08/13/26 - Amended Senate Read version ↗

08/18/26 - Amended Senate Read version ↗

08/27/26 - Enrolled Read version ↗

09/30/26 - Chaptered Read version ↗

Recorded votes

Legislative history

1. September 30, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 838, Statutes of 2026.
2. September 30, 2026Approved by the Governor.
3. August 31, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
4. August 25, 2026Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 72. Noes 0. Page 6454.).
5. August 24, 2026In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
6. August 24, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 5713.).
7. August 19, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
8. August 18, 2026Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
9. August 17, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
10. August 13, 2026Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
11. August 13, 2026From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 13).
12. August 3, 2026In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.
13. June 24, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 23). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
14. June 4, 2026From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.
15. June 3, 2026Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
16. May 22, 2026In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
17. May 22, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 71. Noes 0. Page 5260.)
18. May 18, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
19. May 14, 2026From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).
20. April 15, 2026In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
21. April 6, 2026Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
22. March 26, 2026Read second time and amended.
23. March 25, 2026From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (March 24).
24. March 2, 2026Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
25. February 14, 2026From printer. May be heard in committee March 16.
26. February 13, 2026Read first time. To print.

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