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AB 476 aims to curb copper and infrastructure theft with stricter record‑keeping and higher penalties
Summary
Assemblymember Gonzales told the committee AB 476 would expand record requirements for scrap purchases, prohibit possession of public‑infrastructure metal without documentation and increase penalties; municipal utilities and cities backed the bill saying thefts are rising and cause outsized repair costs; committee moved the bill to Public Safety.
Assemblymember Gonzales presented AB 476 to strengthen penalties and record‑keeping rules for scrap metal dealers and recyclers, and to designate additional categories of metal from public infrastructure (street lights, traffic signals, plaques, broadband equipment) as items that may not be possessed without documentation. Gonzales cited a series of high‑profile thefts — including a 2022 example where thieves removed tens of thousands of feet of copper wiring from a major Los Angeles bridge, a theft that cost taxpayers far more than the metal’s scrap value — and rising streetlight outages reported by cities.
Local government representatives, including the League of California Cities and the City of Sacramento Department of Utilities, testified in support, saying thefts damage water meters, backflow devices and pump stations and endanger public safety during storm events. Industry and broadband stakeholders also supported the measure. Committee members praised the bill’s commonsense approach and moved AB 476 to the Public Safety Committee; the roll call was recorded and the item was left on call for absent members.
