Title 16 - GENERAL PROVISIONS

California Penal Code — §§ 654-678

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Sections (48)

Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 441, Sec. 1. (AB 518) Effective January 1, 2022.

(a)An act or omission that is punishable in different ways by different provisions of law may be punished under either of such provisions, but in no case shall the act or omission be punished under more than one provision. An acquittal or conviction and sentence under any one bars a prosecution for the same act or omission under any other.
(b)Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a defendant sentenced pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not be

granted probation if any of the provisions that would otherwise apply to the defendant prohibits the granting of probation.

Added by Stats. 1947, Ch. 1215.

It shall be unlawful for any person, acting individually or as an officer or employee of a corporation, or as a member of a copartnership or as a commission agent or employee of another person, firm or corporation, to sell or offer for sale or, to negotiate, provide or arrange for, or to advertise or hold himself out as one who sells or offers for sale or negotiates, provides or arranges for transportation of a person or persons on an individual fare basis over the public highways of the State of California unless such transportation is to be furnished or provided solely by, and such sale is authorized by, a carrier having a valid and existing certificate of convenience and

necessity, or other valid and existing permit from the Public Utilities Commission of the State of California, or from the Interstate Commerce Commission of the United States, authorizing the holder of such certificate or permit to provide such transportation.

Amended by Stats. 1982, Ch. 185, Sec. 2.

The provisions of Section 654.1 of the Penal Code shall not apply to the selling, furnishing, or providing of transportation of any person or persons in any of the following circumstances:

(a)When no compensation is paid or to be paid, either directly or indirectly, for the transportation.
(b)For the furnishing or providing of transportation to or from work of employees engaged in farmwork on any farm of the State of California.
(c)For the furnishing or providing

of transportation to and from work of employees of any nonprofit cooperative association, organized pursuant to any law of the State of California.

(d)For the transportation of persons wholly or substantially within the limits of a single municipality or of contiguous municipalities.
(e)For transportation of persons over a route wholly or partly within a national park or state park where the transportation is sold in conjunction with, or as part of, a rail trip or trip over a regularly operated motorbus transportation system or line.
(f)For the transportation of persons between home and work locations or of persons having a common work-related trip purpose in a vehicle having a seating capacity of 15 passengers or less, including the driver, which is used for the purpose of ridesharing, as defined in Section 522

of the Vehicle Code, when the ridesharing is incidental to another purpose of the driver. This exemption does not apply if the primary purpose for the transportation of those persons is to make a profit. “Profit,” as used in this subdivision, does not include the recovery of the actual costs incurred in owning and operating a vanpool vehicle, as defined in Section 668 of the Vehicle Code.

Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 1092, Sec. 319. Effective September 27, 1983. Operative January 1, 1984, by Sec. 427 of Ch. 1092.

Violation of Section 654.1 shall be a misdemeanor, and upon first conviction the punishment shall be a fine of not over five hundred dollars ($500), or imprisonment in jail for not over 90 days, or both such fine and imprisonment. Upon second conviction the punishment shall be imprisonment in jail for not less than 30 days and not more than 180 days. Upon a third or subsequent conviction the punishment shall be confinement in jail for not less than 90 days and not more than one year, and a person suffering three or more convictions shall not be eligible to probation, the provisions of any law to the contrary

notwithstanding.

An act or omission declared punishable by this Code is not less so because it is also punishable under the laws of another State, Government, or country, unless the contrary is expressly declared.

Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 511, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2005.

Whenever on the trial of an accused person it appears that upon a criminal prosecution under the laws of the United States, or of another state or territory of the United States based upon the act or omission in respect to which he or she is on trial, he or she has been acquitted or convicted, it is a sufficient defense.

Added by Stats. 2004, Ch. 511, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2005.

Any person convicted of a crime based upon an act or omission for which he or she has been acquitted or convicted in another country shall be entitled to credit for any actual time served in custody in a penal institution in that country for the crime, and for any additional time credits that would have actually been awarded had the person been incarcerated in California.

Added by Stats. 2004, Ch. 511, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2005.

No international treaties or laws shall be violated to secure the return of a person who has been convicted in another country of a crime committed in California in order to prosecute the person in California.

A criminal act is not the less punishable as a crime because it is also declared to be punishable as a contempt.

When it appears, at the time of passing sentence upon a person convicted upon indictment, that such person has already paid a fine or suffered an imprisonment for the act of which he stands convicted, under an order adjudging it a contempt, the Court authorized to pass sentence may mitigate the punishment to be imposed, in its discretion.

Whenever an act is declared a misdemeanor, and no punishment for counseling or aiding in the commission of such act is expressly prescribed by law, every person who counsels or aids another in the commission of such act is guilty of a misdemeanor.

In the various cases in which the sending of a letter is made criminal by this Code, the offense is deemed complete from the time when such letter is deposited in any Post Office or any other place, or delivered to any person, with intent that it shall be forwarded.

In addition to the penalty affixed by express terms, to every neglect or violation of official duty on the part of public officers, State, county, city, or township, where it is not so expressly provided, they may, in the discretion of the Court, be removed from office.

No person is punishable for an omission to perform an act, where such act has been performed by another person acting in his behalf and competent by law to perform it.

Any person may be convicted of an attempt to commit a crime, although it appears on the trial that the crime intended or attempted was perpetrated by such person in pursuance of such attempt, unless the Court, in its discretion, discharges the jury and directs such person to be tried for such crime.

Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 15, Sec. 439. (AB 109) Effective April 4, 2011. Operative October 1, 2011, by Sec. 636 of Ch. 15, as amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 39, Sec. 68.

Every person who attempts to commit any crime, but fails, or is prevented or intercepted in its perpetration, shall be punished where no provision is made by law for the punishment of those attempts, as follows:

(a)If the crime attempted is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison, or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, the person guilty of the attempt shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison or in a county jail, respectively, for one-half the term of imprisonment prescribed upon a conviction of the offense attempted. However, if the crime attempted is willful, deliberate, and premeditated murder, as defined in Section 189, the person guilty of that attempt shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for life with the possibility of parole. If the crime attempted is any other one in which the maximum sentence is life imprisonment or death, the person guilty of the attempt shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for five, seven, or nine years. The additional term provided in this section for attempted willful, deliberate, and premeditated murder shall not be imposed unless the fact that

the attempted murder was willful, deliberate, and premeditated is charged in the accusatory pleading and admitted or found to be true by the trier of fact.

(b)If the crime attempted is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail, the person guilty of the attempt shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail for a term not exceeding one-half the term of imprisonment prescribed upon a conviction of the offense attempted.
(c)If the offense so attempted is punishable by a fine, the offender convicted of that attempt shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one-half the largest fine which may be imposed upon a conviction of the offense attempted.
(d)If a crime is divided into degrees, an attempt to commit the crime may be of any of those degrees, and the punishment for the attempt shall be determined as provided

by this section.

(e)Notwithstanding subdivision (a), if attempted murder is committed upon a peace officer or firefighter, as those terms are defined in paragraphs (7) and (9) of subdivision (a) of Section 190.2, a custodial officer, as that term is defined in subdivision (a) of Section 831 or subdivision (a) of Section 831.5, a custody assistant, as that term is defined in subdivision (a) of Section 831.7, or a nonsworn uniformed employee of a sheriff’s department whose job entails the care or control of inmates in a detention facility, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 289.6, and the person who commits the offense knows or reasonably should know that the victim is a peace officer, firefighter, custodial officer, custody assistant, or nonsworn uniformed employee of a sheriff’s department engaged in the performance of his or her duties, the person guilty of the attempt shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for life with

the possibility of parole.

This subdivision shall apply if it is proven that a direct but ineffectual act was committed by one person toward killing another human being and the person committing the act harbored express malice aforethought, namely, a specific intent to unlawfully kill another human being. The Legislature finds and declares that this paragraph is declaratory of existing law.

(f)Notwithstanding subdivision (a), if the elements of subdivision (e) are proven in an attempted murder and it is also charged and admitted or found to be true by the trier of fact that the attempted murder was willful, deliberate, and premeditated, the person guilty of the attempt shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for 15 years to life. Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 2930) of Chapter 7 of Title 1 of Part 3 shall not apply to reduce this minimum term of 15 years in state prison, and the

person shall not be released prior to serving 15 years’ confinement.

Amended by Stats. 1987, Ch. 828, Sec. 45.

Sections 663 and 664 do not protect a person who, in attempting unsuccessfully to commit a crime, accomplishes the commission of another and different crime, whether greater or less in guilt, from suffering the punishment prescribed by law for the crime committed.

(a)Notwithstanding Section 490, any person described in subdivision (b) who, having been convicted of petty theft, grand theft, a conviction pursuant to subdivision (d) or (e) of Section 368, auto theft under Section 10851 of the Vehicle Code, burglary, carjacking, robbery, or a felony violation of Section 496, and having served a term of imprisonment therefor in any penal institution or having been imprisoned therein as a condition of probation for that offense, and who is subsequently convicted of petty theft, is punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year, or in the state prison.
(b)Subdivision (a) shall apply to any person who is required to register pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration Act, or who has a prior violent or serious

felony conviction, as specified in clause (iv) of subparagraph (C) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (e) of Section 667, or has a conviction pursuant to subdivision (d) or (e) of Section 368.

(c)This section shall not be construed to preclude prosecution or punishment pursuant to subdivisions (b) to (i), inclusive, of Section 667, or Section 1170.12.
(a)(1) Notwithstanding any other law, a person who has two or more prior convictions for any of the offenses listed in paragraph (2), and who is convicted of petty theft or shoplifting, is punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year or pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170. A second or subsequent conviction of this section is punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year or by imprisonment in the state prison.
(2)This section applies to the following offenses, including a conviction that occurred before the effective date of this section:
(A)Petty theft, as described in Section 488 or 490.2.
(B)Grand theft, as described in Sections 487, 487h, and in Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 484) of Title 13 of Part 1.
(C)Theft from an elder or dependent adult, as described in Section 368.
(D)The theft or unauthorized use of a vehicle, as described in Section 10851 of the Vehicle Code.
(E)Burglary, as described in Section 459.
(F)Carjacking, as described in Section 215.
(G)Robbery, as described in Section 211.
(H)Receiving stolen property, as described in Section 496.
(I)Shoplifting, as

described in Section 459.5.

(J)Identity theft and mail theft, as described in Section 530.5.
(b)A person subject to charging under this section or actually charged with this section may be referred by a prosecuting attorney’s office or by a county probation department to a theft diversion or deferred entry of judgment program pursuant to Section 1001.81. lf appropriate, a person admitted to such a program may also be referred to a substance abuse treatment program.
(c)Upon an arrest for a violation of this section, the court shall require judicial review prior to release to make an individualized determination of risk to public safety and likelihood to return to court.
(d)This section shall not be construed to preclude prosecution or punishment

pursuant to any other law.

Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 15, Sec. 441. (AB 109) Effective April 4, 2011. Operative October 1, 2011, by Sec. 636 of Ch. 15, as amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 39, Sec. 68.

(a)Every person who, having been previously convicted of a felony violation of Section 10851 of the Vehicle Code, or felony grand theft involving an automobile in violation of subdivision (d)

of Section 487 or former subdivision (3) of Section 487, as that section read prior to being amended by Section 4 of Chapter 1125 of the Statutes of 1993, or felony grand theft involving a motor vehicle, as defined in Section 415 of the Vehicle Code, any trailer, as defined in Section 630 of the Vehicle Code, any special construction equipment, as defined in Section 565 of the Vehicle Code, or any vessel, as defined in Section 21 of the Harbors and Navigation Code in violation of former Section 487h, or a felony violation of Section 496d regardless of whether or not the person actually served a prior prison term for those offenses, is subsequently convicted of any of these offenses shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 for two, three, or four years, or a fine of ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or both the fine and the imprisonment.

(b)For the purposes of this section, the terms “special construction

equipment” and “vessel” are limited to motorized vehicles and vessels.

(c)The existence of any fact which would bring a person under subdivision (a) shall be alleged in the information or indictment and either admitted by the defendant in open court, or found to be true by the jury trying the issue of guilt or by the court where guilt is established by plea of guilty or nolo contendere or by trial by the court sitting without a jury.

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