Excerpts CALIFORNIA PENAL CODE (2) Except as provided by subdivision (d) of Section 653t, every person who knowingly and maliciously interrupts, disrupts, impedes, or otherwise interferes with the transmission of a communication over a public safety radio frequency shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
(a) A person commits a public offense if the person knowingly and maliciously interrupts, disrupts, impedes, or otherwise interferes with the transmission of a communication over an amateur or a citizen's band radio frequency, the purpose of which communication is to inform or inquire about an emergency. (b) For purposes of this section, "emergency" means a condition or circumstance in which an individual is or is reasonably believed by the person transmitting the communication to be in imminent danger of serious bodily injury, in which property is or is reasonably believed by the person transmitting the communication to be in imminent danger of extensive damage or destruction, or in which that injury or destruction has occurred and the person transmitting is attempting to summon assistance. (c) A violation of subdivision (a) is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000), by imprisonment in a county jail not to exceed six months, or by both, unless, as a result of the commission of the offense, serious bodily injury or property loss in excess of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) occurs, in which event the offense is a felony. (d) Any person who knowingly and maliciously interrupts, disrupts, impedes, or otherwise interferes with the transmission of an emergency communication over a public safety radio frequency, when the offense results in serious bodily injury or property loss in excess of ten thousand dollars ($10,000), is guilty of a felony.