SB 1019 California Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

California Cargo Theft Task Force.

Summary

Existing law establishes various programs to prevent crime, coordinate the efforts of law enforcement, and collect and analyze criminal statistics. Existing law specifically establishes a regional property crimes task force to assist local law enforcement and railroad police in counties identified as having elevated levels of property crime, including, but not limited to, organized retail theft, cargo theft, vehicle burglary, and theft of vehicle parts and accessories. Under existing law, the Attorney General is the chief law officer of the state and the head of the Department of Justice. This bill would require the Attorney General to establish the California Cargo Theft Task Force to combat crimes involving the theft, diversion, embezzlement, unlawful taking, or fraudulent acquisition of cargo or freight. The bill would prescribe the membership of the task force. The bill would require the task force, among other duties, to investigate, apprehend, and recommend for prosecution, as appropriate, individuals or entities that engage in cargo theft or related offenses. The bill would require the Attorney General, on or before January 1, 2028, and each year thereafter, to submit a report to the Governor, Legislature, and Secretary of State on the activities of the task force, as specified. The bill would define terms for its purposes.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 10, 2026 Last action May 14, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

04/23/26 - Amended Senate → SB1019 · 1 edit

MINOR

No substantive policy changes were made between these two versions of SB 1019. The diff reflects only a change in document formatting and presentation, from a traditional legislative document layout with line numbers to a web page rendering that includes navigation menus, search tools, and metadata headers. All legal provisions (Sections 14000-14004), the legislative counsel's digest, and the vote/appropriation designations remain identical.

TECHNICAL

The document was reformatted from a traditional legislative print layout with line numbers into a web page display that includes site navigation elements (home, accessibility, FAQ, sitemap, login), quick search fields, bill tracking links, and version history. No legal text was altered.

02/10/26 - Introduced → 03/25/26 - Amended Senate · 6 edits · Mar 25, 2026

MODERATE

SB 1019 was dramatically expanded from a minor technical correction to Section 587 of the Penal Code into a major new law establishing the California Cargo Theft Task Force under the Attorney General. The amended bill adds an entirely new Title 7 (Sections 14000-14004) to Part 4 of the Penal Code, creating a dedicated task force to combat cargo theft in interstate and intrastate commerce, with defined membership, duties, and annual reporting requirements beginning January 1, 2028.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a single nonsubstantive typographical correction in one penal code section to a comprehensive new statutory title creating a state-level task force with defined membership, investigative authority, coordination duties, and mandatory annual reporting to the Governor, Legislature, and Secretary of State.

SCOPE

Added an entirely new Title 7 (Sections 14000-14004) to Part 4 of the Penal Code establishing the California Cargo Theft Task Force, expanding the bill from a single technical fix to a comprehensive new law enforcement program.

DEFINITION

Added definitions for 'cargo' (merchandise at any stage of the supply chain), 'cargo theft' (unlawful taking including fraud-based schemes from vehicles, railcars, containers, warehouses, and distribution centers), and 'task force.'

REQUIREMENT

Required the Attorney General to establish the task force with a specified membership: a commander, two law enforcement investigators, two police or security professionals from the rail/freight industry, and any additional personnel designated by the AG.

ENFORCEMENT

Gave the task force authority to investigate, apprehend, and recommend for prosecution individuals or entities engaged in cargo theft, organized or repeat offenders, and persons who knowingly facilitate, finance, or receive stolen cargo. Also authorized review of cases referred by federal, state, or local law enforcement.

TIMELINE

Required the Attorney General to submit an annual report to the Governor, Legislature, and Secretary of State on or before January 1, 2028, and each year thereafter, covering investigations, prosecutions, trends, recovered cargo, and policy recommendations.

TECHNICAL

The original technical fix to Section 587 (correcting 'Every A person' to 'A person') was retained but renumbered as the second section of the bill after the new Title 7 provisions.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 14, 2026

Upper · Passed

May 14 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

upper

Apr 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Apr 22, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 3982.) (April 21).

upper

Apr 8, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

upper

Mar 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.

upper

Feb 18, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on RLS.

upper

Feb 10, 2026

Introduced

Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors