Amended IN Senate March 24, 2025 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 701Introduced by Senator Wahab(Principal coauthor: Senator Niello)February 21, 2025 An act to add Section 636.6 to the Penal Code, relating to crimes. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSB 701, as amended, Wahab. Signal jammers.Federal law prohibits a person from willfully or maliciously interfering with or causing interference to radio communications. Federal law prohibits a person from manufacturing, importing, selling, offering for sale, or shipping a device that interferes with radio communications. Federal law makes a violation of these prohibitions punishable by a fine of not more than $10,000 or by imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or both the fine and imprisonment.Existing law makes it a misdemeanor for a person to intercept a public safety radio service communication for the purpose of using the communication to assist in the commission of a criminal offense or to avoid arrest, as specified. Existing law makes it an infraction to possess or equip a vehicle with a device that is capable of interfering with a device used by a law enforcement agency to measure the speed of moving objects, as specified, and makes it a misdemeanor to possess four or more of those devices.This bill would make it an infraction to manufacture, import, market, purchase, sell, or operate a signal jammer, as defined, unless authorized to do so by the Federal Communications Commission, punishable by forfeiture of the signal jamming device and a fine of up to $5,000. The bill would make it a crime to operate a signal jammer in conjunction with the commission of a crime, punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 or by imprisonment as a misdemeanor or a felony or both the fine and imprisonment. The bill would make it a felony to willfully or maliciously use a signal jammer to block public safety communications, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for 2, 4, or 6 years. By creating new crimes, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES Bill TextThe people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 636.6 is added to the Penal Code, to read:636.6. (a) A person who manufactures, imports, markets, purchases, sells, or operates a signal jammer, unless authorized to do so by the Federal Communications Commission, is guilty of an infraction, punishable by forfeiture of the signal jamming device, and a fine of up to not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000).(b) A person who possesses or operates a signal jammer in conjunction with the commission of a crime is guilty of a crime, punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, or in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment.(c) A person who willfully or maliciously uses a signal jammer to block public safety communications is guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for two, four, or six years.(d) This section does not apply to the use of signal jammers by local or state law enforcement.(e) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:(1) Signal jammer means a device that intentionally blocks, jams, or interferes with authorized radio or wireless communications.(2) Public safety communications means the systems, technologies, and methods used by emergency response agencies, including law enforcement, firefighters, and EMS, to communicate with each other.SEC. 2. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution.
Amended IN Senate March 24, 2025 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 701Introduced by Senator Wahab(Principal coauthor: Senator Niello)February 21, 2025 An act to add Section 636.6 to the Penal Code, relating to crimes. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSB 701, as amended, Wahab. Signal jammers.Federal law prohibits a person from willfully or maliciously interfering with or causing interference to radio communications. Federal law prohibits a person from manufacturing, importing, selling, offering for sale, or shipping a device that interferes with radio communications. Federal law makes a violation of these prohibitions punishable by a fine of not more than $10,000 or by imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or both the fine and imprisonment.Existing law makes it a misdemeanor for a person to intercept a public safety radio service communication for the purpose of using the communication to assist in the commission of a criminal offense or to avoid arrest, as specified. Existing law makes it an infraction to possess or equip a vehicle with a device that is capable of interfering with a device used by a law enforcement agency to measure the speed of moving objects, as specified, and makes it a misdemeanor to possess four or more of those devices.This bill would make it an infraction to manufacture, import, market, purchase, sell, or operate a signal jammer, as defined, unless authorized to do so by the Federal Communications Commission, punishable by forfeiture of the signal jamming device and a fine of up to $5,000. The bill would make it a crime to operate a signal jammer in conjunction with the commission of a crime, punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 or by imprisonment as a misdemeanor or a felony or both the fine and imprisonment. The bill would make it a felony to willfully or maliciously use a signal jammer to block public safety communications, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for 2, 4, or 6 years. By creating new crimes, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES
Amended IN Senate March 24, 2025
Amended IN Senate March 24, 2025
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 701
Introduced by Senator Wahab(Principal coauthor: Senator Niello)February 21, 2025
Introduced by Senator Wahab(Principal coauthor: Senator Niello)
February 21, 2025
An act to add Section 636.6 to the Penal Code, relating to crimes.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 701, as amended, Wahab. Signal jammers.
Federal law prohibits a person from willfully or maliciously interfering with or causing interference to radio communications. Federal law prohibits a person from manufacturing, importing, selling, offering for sale, or shipping a device that interferes with radio communications. Federal law makes a violation of these prohibitions punishable by a fine of not more than $10,000 or by imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or both the fine and imprisonment.Existing law makes it a misdemeanor for a person to intercept a public safety radio service communication for the purpose of using the communication to assist in the commission of a criminal offense or to avoid arrest, as specified. Existing law makes it an infraction to possess or equip a vehicle with a device that is capable of interfering with a device used by a law enforcement agency to measure the speed of moving objects, as specified, and makes it a misdemeanor to possess four or more of those devices.This bill would make it an infraction to manufacture, import, market, purchase, sell, or operate a signal jammer, as defined, unless authorized to do so by the Federal Communications Commission, punishable by forfeiture of the signal jamming device and a fine of up to $5,000. The bill would make it a crime to operate a signal jammer in conjunction with the commission of a crime, punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 or by imprisonment as a misdemeanor or a felony or both the fine and imprisonment. The bill would make it a felony to willfully or maliciously use a signal jammer to block public safety communications, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for 2, 4, or 6 years. By creating new crimes, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Federal law prohibits a person from willfully or maliciously interfering with or causing interference to radio communications. Federal law prohibits a person from manufacturing, importing, selling, offering for sale, or shipping a device that interferes with radio communications. Federal law makes a violation of these prohibitions punishable by a fine of not more than $10,000 or by imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or both the fine and imprisonment.
Existing law makes it a misdemeanor for a person to intercept a public safety radio service communication for the purpose of using the communication to assist in the commission of a criminal offense or to avoid arrest, as specified. Existing law makes it an infraction to possess or equip a vehicle with a device that is capable of interfering with a device used by a law enforcement agency to measure the speed of moving objects, as specified, and makes it a misdemeanor to possess four or more of those devices.
This bill would make it an infraction to manufacture, import, market, purchase, sell, or operate a signal jammer, as defined, unless authorized to do so by the Federal Communications Commission, punishable by forfeiture of the signal jamming device and a fine of up to $5,000. The bill would make it a crime to operate a signal jammer in conjunction with the commission of a crime, punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 or by imprisonment as a misdemeanor or a felony or both the fine and imprisonment. The bill would make it a felony to willfully or maliciously use a signal jammer to block public safety communications, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for 2, 4, or 6 years. By creating new crimes, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
## Digest Key
## Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 636.6 is added to the Penal Code, to read:636.6. (a) A person who manufactures, imports, markets, purchases, sells, or operates a signal jammer, unless authorized to do so by the Federal Communications Commission, is guilty of an infraction, punishable by forfeiture of the signal jamming device, and a fine of up to not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000).(b) A person who possesses or operates a signal jammer in conjunction with the commission of a crime is guilty of a crime, punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, or in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment.(c) A person who willfully or maliciously uses a signal jammer to block public safety communications is guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for two, four, or six years.(d) This section does not apply to the use of signal jammers by local or state law enforcement.(e) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:(1) Signal jammer means a device that intentionally blocks, jams, or interferes with authorized radio or wireless communications.(2) Public safety communications means the systems, technologies, and methods used by emergency response agencies, including law enforcement, firefighters, and EMS, to communicate with each other.SEC. 2. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
## The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 636.6 is added to the Penal Code, to read:636.6. (a) A person who manufactures, imports, markets, purchases, sells, or operates a signal jammer, unless authorized to do so by the Federal Communications Commission, is guilty of an infraction, punishable by forfeiture of the signal jamming device, and a fine of up to not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000).(b) A person who possesses or operates a signal jammer in conjunction with the commission of a crime is guilty of a crime, punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, or in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment.(c) A person who willfully or maliciously uses a signal jammer to block public safety communications is guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for two, four, or six years.(d) This section does not apply to the use of signal jammers by local or state law enforcement.(e) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:(1) Signal jammer means a device that intentionally blocks, jams, or interferes with authorized radio or wireless communications.(2) Public safety communications means the systems, technologies, and methods used by emergency response agencies, including law enforcement, firefighters, and EMS, to communicate with each other.
SECTION 1. Section 636.6 is added to the Penal Code, to read:
### SECTION 1.
636.6. (a) A person who manufactures, imports, markets, purchases, sells, or operates a signal jammer, unless authorized to do so by the Federal Communications Commission, is guilty of an infraction, punishable by forfeiture of the signal jamming device, and a fine of up to not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000).(b) A person who possesses or operates a signal jammer in conjunction with the commission of a crime is guilty of a crime, punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, or in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment.(c) A person who willfully or maliciously uses a signal jammer to block public safety communications is guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for two, four, or six years.(d) This section does not apply to the use of signal jammers by local or state law enforcement.(e) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:(1) Signal jammer means a device that intentionally blocks, jams, or interferes with authorized radio or wireless communications.(2) Public safety communications means the systems, technologies, and methods used by emergency response agencies, including law enforcement, firefighters, and EMS, to communicate with each other.
636.6. (a) A person who manufactures, imports, markets, purchases, sells, or operates a signal jammer, unless authorized to do so by the Federal Communications Commission, is guilty of an infraction, punishable by forfeiture of the signal jamming device, and a fine of up to not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000).(b) A person who possesses or operates a signal jammer in conjunction with the commission of a crime is guilty of a crime, punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, or in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment.(c) A person who willfully or maliciously uses a signal jammer to block public safety communications is guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for two, four, or six years.(d) This section does not apply to the use of signal jammers by local or state law enforcement.(e) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:(1) Signal jammer means a device that intentionally blocks, jams, or interferes with authorized radio or wireless communications.(2) Public safety communications means the systems, technologies, and methods used by emergency response agencies, including law enforcement, firefighters, and EMS, to communicate with each other.
636.6. (a) A person who manufactures, imports, markets, purchases, sells, or operates a signal jammer, unless authorized to do so by the Federal Communications Commission, is guilty of an infraction, punishable by forfeiture of the signal jamming device, and a fine of up to not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000).(b) A person who possesses or operates a signal jammer in conjunction with the commission of a crime is guilty of a crime, punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, or in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment.(c) A person who willfully or maliciously uses a signal jammer to block public safety communications is guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for two, four, or six years.(d) This section does not apply to the use of signal jammers by local or state law enforcement.(e) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:(1) Signal jammer means a device that intentionally blocks, jams, or interferes with authorized radio or wireless communications.(2) Public safety communications means the systems, technologies, and methods used by emergency response agencies, including law enforcement, firefighters, and EMS, to communicate with each other.
636.6. (a) A person who manufactures, imports, markets, purchases, sells, or operates a signal jammer, unless authorized to do so by the Federal Communications Commission, is guilty of an infraction, punishable by forfeiture of the signal jamming device, and a fine of up to not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000).
(b) A person who possesses or operates a signal jammer in conjunction with the commission of a crime is guilty of a crime, punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, or in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment.
(c) A person who willfully or maliciously uses a signal jammer to block public safety communications is guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for two, four, or six years.
(d) This section does not apply to the use of signal jammers by local or state law enforcement.
(e) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
(1) Signal jammer means a device that intentionally blocks, jams, or interferes with authorized radio or wireless communications.
(2) Public safety communications means the systems, technologies, and methods used by emergency response agencies, including law enforcement, firefighters, and EMS, to communicate with each other.
SEC. 2. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution.
SEC. 2. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution.
SEC. 2. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution.
### SEC. 2.