Section 384 Of Title 10. Of Crimes Against The Public Health And Safety 369a-402c From California Penal Code >> Title 10. >> Part 1.
384
. (a) Any person who shall wilfully refuse to immediately
relinquish a party line when informed that such line is needed for an
emergency call, and in fact such line is needed for an emergency
call, to a fire department or police department or for medical aid or
ambulance service, or any person who shall secure the use of a party
line by falsely stating that such line is needed for an emergency
call, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(b) "Party line" as used in this section means a subscribers' line
telephone circuit, consisting of two or more main telephone stations
connected therewith, each station with a distinctive ring or
telephone number. "Emergency" as used in this section means a
situation in which property or human life is in jeopardy and the
prompt summoning of aid is essential.
(c) Every telephone directory hereafter published and distributed
to the members of the general public in this State or in any portion
thereof which lists the calling numbers of telephones of any
telephone exchange located in this State shall contain a notice which
explains the offense provided for in this section, such notice to be
printed in type which is not smaller than any other type on the same
page and to be preceded by the word "warning" printed in type at
least as large as the largest type on the same page; provided, that
the provisions of this subdivision shall not apply to those
directories distributed solely for business advertising purposes,
commonly known as classified directories, nor to any telephone
directory heretofore distributed to the general public. Any person,
firm or corporation providing telephone service which distributes or
causes to be distributed in this State copies of a telephone
directory which is subject to the provisions of this section and
which do not contain the notice herein provided for shall be guilty
of a misdemeanor.