Emergencies: crimes.
- Creates new felony penalties for impersonating first responders during evacuations or emergencies.
- Allows courts to increase sentences when criminals impersonate emergency personnel while looting.
- Maintains the $10.1 million damage threshold for aggravated arson until 2029.
- Requires review of arson damage thresholds every five years to account for inflation.
Senators Archuleta, Arreguín, and Valladares have proposed legislation establishing new criminal penalties for individuals who impersonate emergency personnel during evacuations and natural disasters, while also modifying California's existing aggravated arson statutes.
The bill creates two distinct offenses related to first responder impersonation. Individuals who fraudulently wear emergency personnel uniforms or insignia in evacuation zones, or who impersonate first responders online during or within 30 days after an evacuation order, face either misdemeanor charges carrying up to one year in jail and $2,000 in fines, or felony charges with fines up to $20,000. Additionally, courts may consider emergency personnel impersonation as an aggravating factor when sentencing defendants convicted of looting during disasters.
The legislation also maintains the current $10.1 million property damage threshold for aggravated arson charges through January 2029, while adding a requirement for the Legislature to review this amount within five years to account for inflation. The bill specifies that any future adjustments to this threshold would apply only to crimes committed after such changes take effect. These provisions would become operative only upon enactment of separate legislation (Assembly Bill 468) by January 2026.
 Eloise ReyesD Senator | Bill Author |  Not Contacted | |
 Henry SternD Senator | Bill Author | Not Contacted | |
 Tim GraysonD Senator | Bill Author | Not Contacted | |
 Sabrina CervantesD Senator | Bill Author | Not Contacted | |
 Joaquin ArambulaD Assemblymember | Committee Member | Not Contacted |
Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.
Introduced By
Latest Voting History
| Ayes | Noes | NVR | Total | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | PASS |
- Creates new felony penalties for impersonating first responders during evacuations or emergencies.
- Allows courts to increase sentences when criminals impersonate emergency personnel while looting.
- Maintains the $10.1 million damage threshold for aggravated arson until 2029.
- Requires review of arson damage thresholds every five years to account for inflation.
Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.
Introduced By
Senators Archuleta, Arreguín, and Valladares have proposed legislation establishing new criminal penalties for individuals who impersonate emergency personnel during evacuations and natural disasters, while also modifying California's existing aggravated arson statutes.
The bill creates two distinct offenses related to first responder impersonation. Individuals who fraudulently wear emergency personnel uniforms or insignia in evacuation zones, or who impersonate first responders online during or within 30 days after an evacuation order, face either misdemeanor charges carrying up to one year in jail and $2,000 in fines, or felony charges with fines up to $20,000. Additionally, courts may consider emergency personnel impersonation as an aggravating factor when sentencing defendants convicted of looting during disasters.
The legislation also maintains the current $10.1 million property damage threshold for aggravated arson charges through January 2029, while adding a requirement for the Legislature to review this amount within five years to account for inflation. The bill specifies that any future adjustments to this threshold would apply only to crimes committed after such changes take effect. These provisions would become operative only upon enactment of separate legislation (Assembly Bill 468) by January 2026.
Latest Voting History
| Ayes | Noes | NVR | Total | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | PASS |
Eloise ReyesD Senator | Bill Author | Not Contacted | |
Henry SternD Senator | Bill Author | Not Contacted | |
Tim GraysonD Senator | Bill Author | Not Contacted | |
Sabrina CervantesD Senator | Bill Author | Not Contacted | |
Joaquin ArambulaD Assemblymember | Committee Member | Not Contacted |