Why is this bill considered necessary?

Copper wire thefts are increasingly damaging public infrastructure, causing outages and costly repairs, and posing a threat to public safety.

What is the current status of the bill?

The bill is awaiting Governor Gavin Newsom’s signature, with a deadline of October 12, 2025. If signed, it will take effect on January 1, 2026.

What measures does AB 476 propose?

The bill increases penalties for offenders, requires recyclers and scrap metal dealers to keep thorough records and verify sellers’ identities, and limits the sale of certain metal items like lamps, plaques, and traffic signals.

Copper Wire Theft Bill in Awaits Governor's Signature in California

Copper | 2025-10-08 01:24:21

If signed, the bill will go into effect on Jan 1, 2026.

By Paul Ploumis

Copper Wire Theft Bill in Awaits Governor's Signature in California

Summary

Bill Status: AB 476, authored by Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez, awaits Governor Newsom’s signature and would take effect January 1, 2026, to combat copper wire thefts in California.
Provisions: Increases penalties, requires stricter record-keeping for recyclers, and limits sales of certain metal items.
Impact: Copper thefts cause major infrastructure damage and costs, e.g., $2.5 million to repair the 6th Street Bridge after $11,000 of copper was stolen.

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Local and state leaders urged Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign the bill aimed at curbing copper wire theft across California.

Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez wrote bill AB 476, which is currently awaiting Newsom's signature. The governor has until October 12, 2025, to either veto or sign the bill into law. The measure will take effect on January 1, 2026, if it is signed.

In order to more accurately represent the enormous costs of infrastructure replacement and damage, AB 476 suggests significantly increasing the penalty for offenders. It mandates that recyclers and scrap metal dealers keep thorough records, including confirming the legitimacy of the sellers' identities. Additionally, it will impose tight limitations on the sale of specific items, like metals from lamps, plaques, and traffic signals.

It is important to remember that copper wire thefts are still becoming a bigger problem throughout the state. Several areas have had public outages as a result of the thefts. Critical infrastructure repairs also cost the city millions of dollars.

Gonzalez pointed out that copper wire thefts are an annoyance and a direct assault on state infrastructure and public safety.

According to approximations, copper theft accounted for around 40% of all service requests for street light outages in the city of Los Angeles in 2024. Nearly 38,000 feet of copper wire, worth around $11,000, were taken from the 6th Street Bridge alone. Remarkably, the city had to pay over $2.5 million to fix it.

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POLL

How effective do you think bill AB 476 will be in reducing copper wire thefts in California?

Very effective – it will significantly reduce thefts and protect infrastructure.

Neutral – impact will be minimal on overall copper thefts.

Ineffective – thefts will likely continue despite the bill.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is this bill considered necessary?
Copper wire thefts are increasingly damaging public infrastructure, causing outages and costly repairs, and posing a threat to public safety.
What is the current status of the bill?
The bill is awaiting Governor Gavin Newsom’s signature, with a deadline of October 12, 2025. If signed, it will take effect on January 1, 2026.
What measures does AB 476 propose?
The bill increases penalties for offenders, requires recyclers and scrap metal dealers to keep thorough records and verify sellers’ identities, and limits the sale of certain metal items like lamps, plaques, and traffic signals.