California statute
Cal. Penal Code § 653t
Current through 2025–2026 Regular Session (leginfo weekly dump, 2026-07-12)
Part of Chapter 2: Of Other and Miscellaneous Offenses, California Penal Code.
Full text of Cal. Penal Code § 653t
Statutory text current through the 2025–2026 Regular Session (leginfo weekly dump, 2026-07-12). This publication reproduces the official statutory text; it is not the official statutes of the State of California.
(a) A person commits a public offense if the person knowingly and maliciously interrupts, disrupts, impedes, or otherwise interferes with the transmission of a communication over an amateur or a citizen’s band radio frequency, the purpose of which communication is to inform or inquire about an emergency. (b) For purposes of this section, “emergency” means a condition or circumstance in which an individual is or is reasonably believed by the person transmitting the communication to be in imminent danger of serious bodily injury, in which property is or is reasonably believed by the person transmitting the communication to be in imminent danger of extensive damage or destruction, or in which that injury or destruction has occurred and the person transmitting is attempting to summon assistance. (c) A violation of subdivision (a) is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000), by imprisonment in a county jail not to exceed six months, or by both, unless, as a result of the commission of the offense, serious bodily injury or property loss in excess of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) occurs, in which event the offense is a felony punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170. (d) Any person who knowingly and maliciously interrupts, disrupts, impedes, or otherwise interferes with the transmission of an emergency communication over a public safety radio frequency, when the offense results in serious bodily injury or property loss in excess of ten thousand dollars ($10,000), is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170.
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