BILL NUMBER: AB 1829 AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 15, 2010 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Cook (Coauthors: Assembly Members Adams, Anderson, Tom Berryhill, Block, Chesbro, DeVore, Emmerson, Fletcher, Gilmore, Jeffries, Lieu, Nestande, Niello, Portantino, Salas, Silva, Smyth, and Audra Strickland) (Coauthors: Senators Correa , Denham, and DeSaulnier) FEBRUARY 11, 2010 An act to add Section 1821 to, and to repeal Section 648.1 of , the Military and Veterans Code, and to amendSectionSections 19.8 and 532b of the Penal Code, relating to military decorations. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1829, as amended, Cook. Military decorations: fraud. Existing law provides any person who, orally, in writing, or by wearing any military decoration, falsely represents himself or herself to have been awarded any military decoration, as specified, with the intent to defraud, is guilty of an infraction. This bill would instead provide that the offense is a misdemeanor , or in the case where the person committing the offense is a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States, an infraction or a misdemeanor, as specified, and would exempt face-to-face solicitations involving less than $10. By increasing the penalty for an existing offense, 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. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 648.1 of the Military and Veterans Code is repealed. SEC. 2. Section 1821 is added to the Military and Veterans Code , to read: 1821. A person who falsely represents himself or herself in a manner specified in Section 532b of the Penal Code shall be guilty of a misdemeanor or infraction, as prescribed by Section 532b of the Penal Code. SEC. 3. Section 19.8 of the Penal Code is amended to read: 19.8. The following offenses are subject to subdivision (d) of Section 17: Sections 193.8, 330, 415, 485, 490.7, subdivision (c) of Section 532b, and Sections 555, 652, and 853.7 of this code; subdivision (n) of Section 602 of this code; subdivision (b) of Section 25658 and Sections 21672, 25658.5, 25661, and 25662 of the Business and Professions Code; Section 27204 of the Government Code; subdivision (c) of Section 23109 and Sections 12500, 14601.1, 27150.1, 40508, and 42005 of the Vehicle Code, and any other offense which the Legislature makes subject to subdivision (d) of Section 17. Except where a lesser maximum fine is expressly provided for a violation of any of those sections, any violation which is an infraction is punishable by a fine not exceeding two hundred fifty dollars ($250). Except for the violations enumerated in subdivision (d) of Section 13202.5 of the Vehicle Code, and Section 14601.1 of the Vehicle Code based upon failure to appear, a conviction for any offense made an infraction under subdivision (d) of Section 17 is not grounds for the suspension, revocation, or denial of any license, or for the revocation of probation or parole of the person convicted.SEC. 2.SEC. 4. Section 532b of the Penal Code is amended to read: 532b. (a) Any person who falsely represents himself or herself as a veteran or ex-serviceman of any war in which the United States was engaged, in connection with the soliciting of aid or the sale or attempted sale of any property, is guilty of a misdemeanor. (b) Any person who falsely claims, or presents himself or herself, to be a veteran or member of the Armed Forces of the United States, with the intent to defraud, is guilty of a misdemeanor. (c) (1)AnyExcept as provided in paragraph (2), any person who, orally, in writing, or by wearing any military decoration, falsely represents himself or herself to have been awarded any military decoration, with the intent to defraud, is guilty of a misdemeanor. (2) This offense is an infraction or a misdemeanor, subject to Sections 19.6, 19.7, and 19.8, if the person committing the offense is a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States.(2)(3) For purposes of this subdivision, "military decoration" means any decoration or medal from the Armed Forces of the United States, the California National Guard, State Military Reserve, or Naval Militia, or any service medals or badges awarded to the members of those forces, or the ribbon, button, or rosette of that badge, decoration, or medal, or any colorable imitation of that item. (d) This section does not apply to face-to-face solicitations involving less than ten dollars ($10).SEC. 3.SEC. 5. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B 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 XIII B of the California Constitution.