Bill > AB1604

This bill aims to protect consumers and the environment by phasing out the use of certain chemicals in paper receipts. Starting January 1, 2027, paper proofs of purchase, which are receipts provided to consumers by businesses or created by manufacturers, will be prohibited from containing intentionally added bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical known to disrupt hormones and linked to various health issues. Then, on January 1, 2028, this prohibition will extend to all intentionally added bisphenols, which are a group of chemicals that include BPA and similar compounds. The bill defines "intentionally added bisphenols" as those deliberately included by a manufacturer for a specific purpose in the product. Businesses are defined as entities that accept cash, credit, or debit transactions, with exceptions for healthcare providers and certain non-profit organizations with lower annual sales. Violations of these provisions will result in civil penalties, with a first offense capped at $5,000 and subsequent offenses at $10,000, and collected penalties will fund the Department of Toxic Substances Control's enforcement efforts. The bill also allows for the recovery of attorney's fees and costs for prevailing plaintiffs in enforcement actions, and enforcement can be carried out by the Department of Toxic Substances Control, the Attorney General, or local prosecutors. This legislation builds upon existing laws that restrict bisphenols in juvenile products and follows similar actions taken by other states and the European Union.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1604