Plain English Breakdown
The effective date is unknown because the law depends on Senate Bill 571 being passed.
AB-468: Stricter Rules for Looting in Evacuation Zones
This law expands the definition of looting to include first-degree burglary, trespassing, and theft from vehicles when committed in areas with evacuation orders or warnings.
What This Bill Does
- Adds first-degree burglary, second-degree burglary, grand theft, petty theft, trespass, and theft from a vehicle to the list of crimes that count as looting if done in an evacuation zone.
- Defines an 'evacuation zone' as an area with an evacuation order or warning, including residential homes there for one year after the order ends (or up to three years if construction is happening).
- States that damage from a disaster does not stop someone from being convicted of burglary even if they enter a damaged structure.
- Increases penalties for committing these specific crimes inside an evacuation zone.
Who It Names or Affects
- People who commit burglary, theft, or trespass in areas with evacuation orders or warnings.
- Residents whose homes are empty due to disasters and remain protected under the new time limits.
Terms To Know
- Evacuation zone
- An area where people have been ordered to leave or warned of danger, including residential units in that area for up to one year after evacuation (or three years if rebuilding).
- Looting
- Committing crimes like burglary, theft, or trespass during a state of emergency or within an evacuation zone.
Limits and Unknowns
- This law only takes effect if Senate Bill 571 is also passed in the 2025–26 legislative session.
- The specific dates when these rules start are not listed because they depend on another bill being enacted.