Organized metal theft.

Removed all prior amendment history headers (dates of June 4, August 13, and August 18 Senate amendments; March 26 Assembly amendment) and the original introduction date of February 13, 2026.

Added final passage dates: Passed the Assembly August 25, 2026, and Passed the Senate August 24, 2026.

Added the Governor's approval block with blank date fields and a blank CHAPTER number, which will be filled in upon signing.

Removed the coauthor lists (Assembly Members and Senators) that appeared in the amended version header.

The legislative counsel's digest header changed from 'AB 1941, as amended, Mark Gonzalez' to 'AB 1941, Mark Gonzalez', dropping the 'as amended' designation now that no further amendments are expected.

Section 11199.6 was entirely removed. This section would have authorized local law enforcement agencies, public agencies, and private entities (including telecom companies, recycling companies, and utility companies) to provide information about commodity metal thefts to the Department of Justice, and required DOJ to make that information available back to those entities.

Section 496f(c)(3) was narrowed. Previously, evidence that property was of a type or quantity not normally collected for personal use and intended for resale was sufficient. Now the metal materials must also bear markings, tags, or other identifying characteristics of a telecommunications provider, railroad, public utility, or public entity engaged in furnishing public utility service. This raises the evidentiary bar for prosecutors.

The bill's title was corrected from 'add Sections 496f and 11199.6 Section 496f' to simply 'add Section 496f,' reflecting the removal of the DOJ information-sharing section. Former Section 4 (no reimbursement) was renumbered as Section 3.

The no-reimbursement provision was renumbered from Section 4 to Section 3, and a new empty 'SEC. 4.' was inserted above it. This indicates a section was removed or the bill structure was reorganized, though the specific removed content is not visible in this diff.

The bill's short title ('An act to add...') was changed from 'Sections 496f and 11199.6 to the Penal Code' to 'Sections 496f and 11199.6 Section 496f to the Penal Code.' This appears to be a clerical or drafting error rather than an intentional policy change.

Page numbers throughout the bill changed from 97 to 96, reflecting a reduction in total page count consistent with the removal of content.

Added a proviso to Section 496f(c)(3) stating that evidence a licensed scrap recycler purchased metal materials for resale in the ordinary course of business shall not, by itself, establish that the recycler acted in concert with another person or persons. This creates a safe harbor protecting legitimate recycling businesses from organized metal theft charges.

Section 496f(a)(1) now requires that the organized theft of metal materials be committed 'with the intent to sell, exchange, or return the metal materials for value.' Previously, any organized theft from covered items qualified regardless of the thief's purpose. This adds a mens rea element that limits the offense to commercially motivated theft.

Principal coauthors (Assembly Member Solache and Senator Rubio) and multiple additional coauthors from both chambers were added, reflecting expanded legislative sponsorship.