Newsom signs bill to stem copper wire theft that’s shutting LA’s lights off

What it changes: Metal recyclers are already required by state law to record specific information when they make a transaction, such as the seller’s name and a description of the item sold. Now that Assembly Bill 476 is law, metal recyclers will also have to note the time the sale occurred — only the date was required before — and which employee handled the transaction. It also adds to the list of materials that recyclers are prohibited from possessing to include streetlights and EV chargers. Lastly, the bill increases fines for recyclers who purchase materials that belong to public entities without ensuring the seller has proper authorization to do so.

Little resistance to the bill: Assemblymember Mark González, who represents areas of L.A. that include downtown and Boyle Heights, introduced the bill in 2025. It had passed the state Assembly and Senate floors unanimously before landing on Newsom’s desk.

Reaction from Gonzalez: In an Oct. 13 news release, González thanked the governor for signing the bill and said it will lead to California “turning the lights back on.” He added that the bill removes “any incentive to steal copper wire or critical public infrastructure,” referring to the idea that increased regulation of recyclers will leave thieves with fewer places to sell their stolen goods.

L.A. leaders support the bill: Mayor Karen Bass, L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman and Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, whose jurisdiction includes the darkened Sixth Street bridge and some of the neighborhoods most affected by metal theft in the city, all declared their support for the bill. Other local supporters of the bill include the LAPD, L.A. Sheriff’s Department and the Central City Association.