(a) Any person convicted of a felony violation of Section 470, 487, or 532 as part of a plan or scheme to defraud an owner of a residential or nonresidential structure, including a mobilehome or manufactured home, in connection with the offer or performance of repairs or improvements to the structure or property, or by adding to, or subtracting from, grounds in connection therewith, for damage caused by a natural disaster, shall receive a one-year enhancement in addition and consecutive to the penalty prescribed. The additional term shall not be imposed unless the allegation is charged in the accusatory pleading and admitted by the defendant or found to be true by the trier of fact.
(b) This enhancement applies to natural disasters for which a state of emergency is proclaimed by the Governor pursuant to Section 8625 of the Government Code or for which an emergency or major disaster is declared by the President of the United States.
(c) Notwithstanding any other law, the court may strike the additional term provided in subdivision (a) if the court determines that there are mitigating circumstances and states on the record the reasons for striking the additional punishment.
(Amended by Stats. 2020, Ch. 364, Sec. 5. (SB 1189) Effective January 1, 2021.)