Bill > AB446

This bill introduces new regulations to prevent "surveillance pricing" in grocery establishments, which is defined as setting customized price increases for specific consumers based on personally identifiable information collected through electronic surveillance technologies like sensors, cameras, or device tracking. The bill prohibits grocery establishments from using surveillance methods to adjust prices, with several exceptions: prices can vary based on actual cost differences, publicly disclosed eligibility criteria (such as discounts for teachers or seniors), loyalty program membership, or when consumers directly and knowingly provide their personal information for a specific discount. Only public prosecutors can bring actions against violators, with potential civil penalties up to $12,500 per violation (or up to three times that amount for intentional violations), and consumers can seek injunctive relief. The bill also stipulates that any waiver of these provisions is void and unenforceable, and it explicitly states that it is designed to further the purposes of the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020. The legislation aims to protect consumers from discriminatory pricing practices that rely on invasive data collection methods, ensuring transparency and fairness in pricing within grocery establishments.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB446