Bill Text: CA AB486 | 2025-2026 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Crimes: burglary tools.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Passed) 2025-10-06 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 367, Statutes of 2025. [AB486 Detail]
Download: California-2025-AB486-Chaptered.html
Assembly Bill
No. 486
CHAPTER 367
An act to amend Section 466 of the Penal Code, relating to crimes.
[
Approved by
Governor
October 06, 2025.
Filed with
Secretary of State
October 06, 2025.
]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 486, Lackey.
Crimes: burglary tools.
Existing law makes it a misdemeanor to have specified tools or other items, with the intent to feloniously break or enter into a building or other specified place. Existing law makes it a misdemeanor to make, alter, or repair specified instruments if the person knows or has reason to believe the instrument is intended to be used in the commission of a misdemeanor or felony.
This bill would add key programming devices, key duplicating devices, and signal extenders, as defined, to the list of instruments that are an element of the above offenses. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, 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: YESBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 466 of the Penal Code is amended to read:466.
(a) A person who possesses a picklock, crow, keybit, crowbar, screwdriver, vise grip pliers, water-pump pliers, slidehammer, slim jim, tension bar, lock pick gun, tubular lock pick, bump key, floor-safe door puller, master key, ceramic or porcelain spark plug chips or pieces, key programming device or key duplicating device, signal extender, or other instrument or tool with the intent to feloniously break or enter into any building, railroad car, aircraft, or vessel, trailer coach, or vehicle as defined in the Vehicle Code, or who knowingly makes or alters, or attempts to make or alter, a key or other instrument named above so that it will fit or open the lock of a building, railroad car, aircraft, vessel, trailer coach, or vehicle as defined in the Vehicle Code, without being requested to do so by a person having the right to open the same, or who makes, alters, or repairs any instrument or thing, knowing or having reason to believe that it is intended to be used in the commission of a misdemeanor or felony, is guilty of a misdemeanor. Any of the structures mentioned in Section 459 shall be deemed to be a building within the meaning of this section.(b) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
(1) “Key programming device” or “key duplicating device” means any device with the capability to access a vehicle’s onboard computer to allow additional keys to be made, delete keys, or remotely start the vehicle without the use of any key. A key
duplicating device also includes any device with the ability to capture a key code or signal in order to remotely access a vehicle.
(2) “Signal extender” means a key fob amplifier or other device that extends the signal range of a keyless entry car fob to send a coded signal to a receiver in a vehicle to lock, unlock, access a vehicle, start the engine, or interact with other remote commands associated to the vehicle’s onboard computer.
