Bill > SB259

This bill, known as the Fair Online Pricing Act, aims to prevent businesses from generating prices for consumers based on certain characteristics of their online devices. Specifically, the bill prohibits pricing that is influenced by the hardware or hardware state of a device (like battery life or device age), the presence or absence of specific software, or geolocation data used to make inferences about the consumer. The bill does allow some exceptions, such as using device information for repairs, calculating trade-in values, or determining pricing based on real-time local demand for immediately available services. The legislation also permits location-based pricing variations that reflect legitimate cost differences or local taxes. Importantly, the bill does not prevent businesses from offering general coupons, discounts, or promotions that are available to all consumers. The bill defines key terms like "online device" (including smartphones, tablets, and computers) and establishes that these new pricing restrictions are in addition to existing consumer protection laws. The legislation is part of California's broader efforts to protect consumer privacy and prevent potentially discriminatory pricing practices in online commerce.

Business and Industry, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB259