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Bill

SB 1446

Incarcerated persons: release and parole.

2025-2026 Regular Session

Restricts self-service checkout to at most two stations per employee and requires the employee to be relieved of all other duties.

From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (June 30).
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Bill Summary · SB 1446

Summary of SB 1446 (Session 2025-2026, California)

Purpose and intent

SB 1446 proposes new requirements for grocery retail stores and retail drug establishments related to self-service checkout technology and the use of “consequential workplace technology.” The bill aims to regulate how self-checkout systems are deployed and how employers communicate about and integrate new workplace technology, while introducing penalties for noncompliance.

Key provisions and changes

  • Self-service checkout limits and staffing (primary provision):

    • Prohibits a grocery retail store or a retail drug establishment from providing a self-service checkout option for customers unless (a) no more than two self-service checkout stations are monitored by any one employee, and (b) the employee assigned to these stations is relieved of all other duties.
    • This effectively restricts the scale of self-service checkout operations per employee.

  • Inclusion in illness and prevention program:

    • Requires any grocery retail store or retail drug establishment that offers self-service checkout to include self-service checkout in the employer’s illness and prevention program, as mandated by applicable Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) regulations.

  • Notice for consequential workplace technology:

    • For implementations of “consequential workplace technology” (a defined term likely referring to technology with material impact on workers), the employer must notify workers, their collective bargaining representatives, and the public at least 60 days before implementation.
    • The notice must include a general description of the technology and the intended purpose.

  • Enforcement, remedies, and penalties:

    • Establishes civil penalties for violations, at $100 per day, with an aggregate cap of $10,000.

Who would be affected

  • Directly affected entities:
    • Grocery retail stores and retail drug establishments that offer self-service checkout options.
  • Employees and labor representatives:
    • Workers who operate or are assigned to self-checkout stations, and their collective bargaining representatives (if applicable), who would receive advance notifications for consequential workplace technology.
  • Public and regulatory bodies:
    • The public would be informed about planned implementations of consequential workplace technology; Cal/OSHA-related illness and prevention program requirements would apply to affected employers.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Status and history:
    • As of the latest available actions, the bill has been amended in the Assembly and referred through standard committee and floor procedures. It is listed as “Failed” in its current status, with notes indicating coauthors revised on August 5, 2024, and ongoing legislative activity into 2026.
  • Timeline elements within the bill:
    • The 60-day advance notice requirement for consequential workplace technology is a forward-looking procedural element, intended to give workers and the public time to prepare for changes.
  • Penalties:
    • Violations would incur a daily civil penalty of $100, subject to an aggregate limit of $10,000.

Practical impact and considerations

  • The self-service restriction could limit the deployment scale of automated checkout, potentially affecting store operations, labor costs, and customer flow management.
  • Including self-service checkout in illness and prevention programs ties automation to safety compliance, potentially increasing employer administrative requirements.
  • The 60-day notification requirement for major workplace technology gives unions and employees more time to review and discuss changes, potentially impacting implementation timelines.
  • The specified penalties create a measurable enforcement mechanism, encouraging compliance but also requiring employers to monitor and document adherence.

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary for a specific audience (e.g., policymakers, business owners, workers) or extract a concise one-page briefing with bullet points for quick reference.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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