AB 468: Crimes: looting.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law defines the crime of burglary as entering specified buildings, places, or vehicles with the intent to commit grand or petty theft or a felony. Existing law clarifies that a structure designed for habitation is being used for dwelling purposes if, at the time of the burglary, it was not occupied solely because a disaster caused the occupants to leave the premises.

This bill would specify that neither the fact that the structure entered has been damaged by a natural or other disaster, nor the extent of the damage, shall preclude conviction.

Existing law defines looting as the commission of certain offenses during and within an affected county in a state of emergency or local emergency, as specified. Existing law includes any 2nd-degree burglary or grand theft in the definition of looting, and makes looting based on those offenses punishable by either imprisonment in a county jail for one year or as a felony. Existing law also makes the crime of looting based on petty theft punishable as a misdemeanor.

Existing regulations define an “evacuation area” as a geographic area from which civilians have been evacuated pursuant to an evacuation order and where movement and entry are controlled by fire and law enforcement personnel having jurisdictional authority. Existing regulations define an “evacuation warning” as alerting community members in a defined area of a potential threat to life or property.

This bill would recast the offense of looting to include first degree burglary, 2nd degree burglary, grand theft, trespass, and theft from a vehicle, when those offenses are committed in an evacuation zone, to the crime of looting. The bill would also, for the purposes of the offense of looting, define an evacuation zone to include an evacuation area or an area subject to an evacuation warning, and to include any residential dwelling units in such an area for a period of one year after the evacuation order, or up to 3 years if the property is undergoing construction. The bill would impose increased penalties for these offenses committed within an evacuation zone, as specified.

By increasing the punishment of specified crimes, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 6 · Republican 4

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. October 10, 2025Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 533, Statutes of 2025.
2. October 10, 2025Approved by the Governor.
3. September 24, 2025Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
4. September 12, 2025Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 72. Noes 0. Page 3376.).
5. September 12, 2025In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
6. September 11, 2025Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 2925.).
7. September 9, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
8. September 8, 2025Withdrawn from committee.
9. September 8, 2025Ordered to second reading.
10. September 6, 2025From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on RLS.
11. September 4, 2025Senate Rule 29.3(b) suspended. (Ayes 28. Noes 10. Page 2491.)
12. August 29, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on RLS. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29). Re-referred to Com. on RLS.