Crimes: stalking.

Senator Ochoa Bogh, joined by a bipartisan group of legislative coauthors, proposes expanding California's stalking law to include threats against a person's pets, service animals, emotional support animals, and horses within the definition of "credible threat."

The measure modifies Section 646.9 of the Penal Code, which currently defines stalking as willfully and maliciously following or harassing another person while making credible threats intended to cause reasonable fear for personal safety. Under the amended definition, threats targeting an individual's animals would constitute grounds for stalking charges, punishable by up to one year in county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. Cases involving violation of existing court orders carry state prison terms of two to four years.

The bill maintains existing provisions allowing courts to require counseling as a condition of probation and issue protective orders valid for up to 10 years. While the changes create a state-mandated local program by modifying crime definitions, the legislation specifies that local agencies and school districts will not require state reimbursement for implementation costs.