{"data":{"id":"us-ca/pen-653z","jurisdiction":"us-ca","citation":"PEN § 653z","heading":"","body":"(a) Every person who operates a recording device in a motion picture theater while a motion picture is being exhibited, for the purpose of recording a theatrical motion picture and without the express written authority of the owner of the motion picture theater, is guilty of a public offense and shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, by a fine not exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment.\n(b) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:\n(1) “Recording device” means a photographic, digital or video camera, or other audio or video recording device capable of recording the sounds and images of a motion picture or any portion of a motion picture.\n(2) “Motion picture theater” means a theater or other premises in which a motion picture is exhibited.\n(c) Nothing in this section shall preclude prosecution under any other provision of law.","path":["Penal Code - PEN","PART 1. OF CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS [25. - 680.4.]","TITLE 15. MISCELLANEOUS CRIMES [626. - 653.75.]","CHAPTER 2. Of Other and Miscellaneous Offenses [639. - 653.2.]"],"source_url":"https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zip","current_through":"2026-09-13","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T05:56:33Z","sha256":"63bc4c4becb3e83a4d457d0e27ef716cac156bc69aedf855fcacc8f6215c15cd","source_id":"us-ca","stale":false,"prev":"us-ca/pen-653y","next":"us-ca/pen-653aa"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}