Any person, other than an employee of a public utility or district as defined in Sections 216 and 11503 of the Public Utilities Code, respectively, who willfully presents themselves to a utility or district customer with the intent of fraudulently personating an employee of a public utility or district, or of fraudulently inducing the belief that they are an employee of a public utility or district, or who willfully and credibly impersonates an employee of a public utility or district on an internet website, or by other electronic means, for purposes of defrauding another, is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail not to exceed six months, or by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit conduct that arguably constitutes protected activity under state labor law or the National Labor Relations Act (Title 29, United States Code, Section 151 and following).

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 954, Sec. 3. (AB 1899) Effective January 1, 2023.)