--- title: "SB 1330: Assault or Battery on a California Utility Worker Carries Up to a Year in Jail in 2027" description: "Starting Jan. 1, 2027, assaulting or battering a utility worker on the job in California carries up to one year in county jail, double the usual maximum. SB 1330 adds utility workers to the same list that covers firefighters and EMTs. Here is who counts, what prosecutors have to prove, and what didn't change." url: "https://www.thehfirm.com/blog/sb-1330-assault-battery-utility-workers-california" site: "H Law Group" published: "2026-11-01T17:00:00.000Z" --- # SB 1330: Assault or Battery on a California Utility Worker Carries Up to a Year in Jail in 2027 Starting Jan. 1, 2027, assaulting or battering a utility worker on the job in California carries up to one year in county jail, double the usual maximum. SB 1330 adds utility workers to the same list that covers firefighters and EMTs. Here is who counts, what prosecutors have to prove, and what didn't change. Category: Criminal Defense Author: Nima Haddadi -- California DUI and criminal defense lawyer California already punishes assault and battery more harshly when the victim is a peace officer, firefighter, EMT or certain other workers doing their jobs. Starting Jan. 1, 2027, utility workers are on that list too. [SB 1330](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB1330) (Sen. Jesse Arreguin, Chapter 699, signed Sept. 27, 2026) amends Penal Code 241 (assault) and 243 (battery). An assault or battery on a utility worker who is doing their job is punishable by up to one year in county jail, a fine of up to $2,000, or both, as long as the person knew or reasonably should have known the victim was a utility worker on duty. It is still a misdemeanor, but the maximum jail time doubles. ## How the penalties compare | Offense | Victim | Maximum penalty | | --- | --- | --- | | Simple assault (PC 240, 241(a)) | Anyone | 6 months county jail and/or $1,000 fine | | Simple battery (PC 242, 243(a)) | Anyone | 6 months county jail and/or $2,000 fine | | Assault (PC 241(c)) | Utility worker on duty, starting 2027 | 1 year county jail and/or $2,000 fine | | Battery (PC 243(b)) | Utility worker on duty, starting 2027 | 1 year county jail and/or $2,000 fine | | Battery with serious bodily injury (PC 243(d)) | Anyone | Wobbler: up to 1 year county jail, or 2, 3 or 4 years under PC 1170(h) | Under California law, an assault is an attempt to use force on someone, combined with the present ability to do it. No contact is needed. A battery is any willful and unlawful touching with force or violence, even one that causes no injury. Our post on [whether assault is a misdemeanor or a felony](/blog/is-assault-a-misdemeanor-or-a-felony) explains where the line falls. ## Who counts as a "utility worker" The definition is narrower than the phrase suggests. Under the new text of Penal Code 241 and 243, a utility worker is someone employed by, or working as a contractor for, one of these: - an investor-owned or publicly owned water, electrical or gas corporation, - an electric cooperative or a local publicly owned electric utility, or - a public water system, and whose job is the construction, alteration, demolition, installation, maintenance or repair of water, electrical or gas infrastructure. A line crew, a gas service technician or a contractor replacing a water main fits. A customer service representative or a meter reader who doesn't do that kind of work may not, and that is the sort of question a court would have to decide. ## What prosecutors have to prove The higher penalty applies only if the worker was "engaged in the performance of their duties" and the person charged "knows or reasonably should know" that the victim was a utility worker doing that job. That knowledge element does real work in these cases. A worker in a marked truck, a high-visibility vest with a company logo, and a hard hat is easy to identify. A contractor in plain clothes working out of an unmarked pickup is a different situation. If the prosecution can't prove both elements, the case falls back to ordinary simple assault or battery, with a six-month maximum. Self-defense and defense of property arguments apply the same way they do in any assault case. Our [assault defense](/criminal/assault-attorney) and [battery defense](/criminal/battery-attorney) pages cover those defenses. ## What SB 1330 didn't change SB 1330 adds utility workers to Penal Code 243(b), the no-injury battery provision. It does not add them to 243(c)(1), the separate provision for battery causing injury to firefighters, EMTs and others, which can be charged as a felony. A battery on a utility worker that causes serious bodily injury would still be charged under Penal Code 243(d), the same as for any victim, and assault with a deadly weapon or force likely to cause great bodily injury stays under Penal Code 245. Making threats is covered separately by [Penal Code 422 (criminal threats)](/penal-codes/pc-422-criminal-threats). ## Why the Legislature passed it The bill was sponsored by IBEW Local 1245, the union representing many PG&E and other utility workers. The union says it has recorded more than 450 threats or acts of violence against utility workers across California's major utilities over two years, many during Public Safety Power Shutoffs. The bill followed the March 2026 shooting of a PG&E contractor doing routine work in Camino, in El Dorado County, according to [IBEW 1245](https://ibew1245.com/2026/04/20/ibew-1245-sponsors-sb-1330-to-strengthen-protections-for-utility-workers/). According to the Senate's bill analysis, a similar bill Arreguin carried in 2025, SB 431, was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. ## Where these cases come from Most of these confrontations are not planned. They tend to start with a shutoff for nonpayment, a crew cutting trees on private property, a power shutoff during a heat wave, or a dispute over access to a meter or a backyard easement. Tempers rise, someone shoves a worker or swings at them, and police are called. Starting in 2027 that shove carries twice the jail exposure it did before. For someone with no record, the difference between a six-month and a one-year maximum can affect plea offers, probation terms, and how the conviction looks on a background check. Our [violent crimes defense page](/criminal/violent-crimes-attorney) covers the broader category of charges, and our guide to [the California criminal case process](/california-criminal-case-process) explains what happens after an arrest. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does SB 1330 do? SB 1330 adds utility workers to the list of on-duty workers, such as firefighters and EMTs, for whom assault or battery carries a higher penalty. Starting Jan. 1, 2027, assault or battery on a utility worker doing their job is punishable by up to one year in county jail, a $2,000 fine, or both. ### Is assaulting a utility worker a felony in California? Not under SB 1330 by itself. Simple assault or battery on a utility worker is still a misdemeanor, with a higher one-year maximum. A case involving serious injury or a deadly weapon can be charged as a felony under other statutes, such as Penal Code 243(d) or 245. ### Who counts as a utility worker under SB 1330? An employee or contractor of a water, electrical or gas utility, electric cooperative, local public electric utility or public water system whose job is building, installing, maintaining or repairing water, electrical or gas infrastructure. ### Does the person have to know the victim was a utility worker? Yes. The higher penalty applies only if the person knew or reasonably should have known that the victim was a utility worker engaged in their duties. Otherwise the case is treated as ordinary simple assault or battery. ### When does SB 1330 take effect? Jan. 1, 2027. It was signed Sept. 27, 2026, as Chapter 699 of the Statutes of 2026. ## Sources - [SB 1330 (Arreguin), Chapter 699, Statutes of 2026: bill text](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB1330), California Legislative Information - [Penal Code section 243](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=PEN§ionNum=243), California Legislative Information - [Penal Code section 241](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=PEN§ionNum=241), California Legislative Information - [IBEW 1245 sponsors SB 1330 to strengthen protections for utility workers](https://ibew1245.com/2026/04/20/ibew-1245-sponsors-sb-1330-to-strengthen-protections-for-utility-workers/), IBEW Local 1245, April 20, 2026 - [New California law provides criminal penalties for attacks on utility workers](https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/new-california-law-provides-criminal-penalties-attacks-utility-workers), American Public Power Association, Sept. 28, 2026 ## About Nima Haddadi Nima Haddadi is a leading California DUI and criminal defense attorney with deep expertise in handling complex cases. Known for strategic defense and courtroom strength, he is a trusted choice for clients facing DUI, felony, and misdemeanor charges. --- ## Contact H Law Group - Phone: (888) 499-4948 (phones answered 24/7) - Email: info@thehlawgroup.com - Free consultation: https://www.thehfirm.com/free-consultation - Contact form: https://www.thehfirm.com/contact-us ### Offices - Los Angeles Branch: 714 W Olympic Blvd, Suite 803, Los Angeles, CA 90015 -- (213) 463-5888 - San Diego Branch: 600 W Broadway, Suite 700, San Diego, CA 92101 -- (619) 257-6655 - San Jose Branch: 333 W San Carlos St, San Jose, CA 95110 -- (408) 547-9982 - Orange County Branch: 2030 Main St, Suite 1300, Irvine, CA 92614 -- (949) 356-9818 - Riverside County Branch: 41593 Winchester Rd, Suite 200, Temecula, CA 92590 -- (951) 327-7161 - Santa Barbara Branch: 1117 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 -- (888) 499-4948 ### Disclaimer This website provides general legal information only and does not create an attorney-client relationship. For legal advice about your specific situation, contact H Law Group directly.