Bill Full Text
Home
-
Bills
-
Bill
-
Authors
-
Dates
-
Locations
-
Analyses
-
Organizations
<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<ns0:MeasureDoc xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xmlns:ns0="http://lc.ca.gov/legalservices/schemas/caml.1#" xmlns:ns3="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" version="1.0" xsi:schemaLocation="http://lc.ca.gov/legalservices/schemas/caml.1# xca.1.xsd">
<ns0:Description>
<ns0:Id>20250AB__256499INT</ns0:Id>
<ns0:VersionNum>99</ns0:VersionNum>
<ns0:History>
<ns0:Action>
<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-02-20</ns0:ActionDate>
</ns0:Action>
</ns0:History>
<ns0:LegislativeInfo>
<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
<ns0:SessionNum>0</ns0:SessionNum>
<ns0:MeasureType>AB</ns0:MeasureType>
<ns0:MeasureNum>2564</ns0:MeasureNum>
<ns0:MeasureState>INT</ns0:MeasureState>
</ns0:LegislativeInfo>
<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Assembly Member Ward</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:Authors>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Ward</ns0:Name>
</ns0:Legislator>
</ns0:Authors>
<ns0:Title> An act to add Part 5.6 (commencing with Section 7200) to Division 4 of the Civil Code, relating to consumer protection.</ns0:Title>
<ns0:RelatingClause>consumer protection</ns0:RelatingClause>
<ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:Subject>Surveillance pricing.</ns0:Subject>
</ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:DigestText>
<html:p>Existing law, the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA), grants a consumer various rights with respect to personal information that is collected or sold by a business, as defined, including the right to direct a business that sells or shares personal information about the consumer to third parties not to sell or share the consumer’s personal information, as specified. Existing law, the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020, approved by the voters as Proposition 24 at the November 3, 2020, statewide general election, amended, added to, and reenacted the CCPA and establishes the California Privacy Protection Agency and vests the agency with full administrative power, authority, and jurisdiction to enforce those provisions.</html:p>
<html:p>Existing law requires a retail grocery store or grocery department within a general retail merchandise store that uses
a point-of-sale system to have a clearly readable price indicated on 85% of the total number of packaged consumer commodities offered for sale, subject to specified exemptions.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would, subject to certain exceptions, prohibit a retailer from engaging in surveillance pricing. The bill would define “surveillance pricing” to mean offering or setting a customized price for a good for a specific consumer or group of consumers, based, in whole or in part, on personally identifiable information collected through electronic surveillance technology, as specified. The bill would provide that only a public prosecutor, as specified, may bring an action against a violator of these provisions to recover specified civil penalties, injunctive relief, and reasonable attorney’s fees and costs, and would authorize a consumer to bring an action for injunctive relief and reasonable attorney’s fees and costs. The bill would declare that any waiver of these provisions is against
public policy and is void and unenforceable.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would declare that its provisions further the purposes and intent of the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020.</html:p>
</ns0:DigestText>
<ns0:DigestKey>
<ns0:VoteRequired>MAJORITY</ns0:VoteRequired>
<ns0:Appropriation>NO</ns0:Appropriation>
<ns0:FiscalCommittee>YES</ns0:FiscalCommittee>
<ns0:LocalProgram>NO</ns0:LocalProgram>
</ns0:DigestKey>
<ns0:MeasureIndicators>
<ns0:ImmediateEffect>NO</ns0:ImmediateEffect>
<ns0:ImmediateEffectFlags>
<ns0:Urgency>NO</ns0:Urgency>
<ns0:TaxLevy>NO</ns0:TaxLevy>
<ns0:Election>NO</ns0:Election>
<ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>NO</ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>
<ns0:BudgetBill>NO</ns0:BudgetBill>
<ns0:Prop25TrailerBill>NO</ns0:Prop25TrailerBill>
</ns0:ImmediateEffectFlags>
</ns0:MeasureIndicators>
</ns0:Description>
<ns0:Bill id="bill">
<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
<ns0:BillSection id="id_5EFBB7FB-0A84-4F3E-83EF-9F1DDED6E625">
<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:ActionLine action="IS_ADDED" ns3:href="urn:caml:codes:CIV:caml#xpointer(%2Fcaml%3ALawDoc%2Fcaml%3ACode%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'DIVISION'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'4.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'PART'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'5.6.'%5D)" ns3:label="fractionType: LAW_SPREAD||commencingWith: 7200" ns3:type="locator">
Part 5.6 (commencing with Section 7200) is added to Division 4 of the
<ns0:DocName>Civil Code</ns0:DocName>
, to read:
</ns0:ActionLine>
<ns0:Fragment>
<ns0:LawHeading id="id_0241C8EB-9F35-42C0-A681-911D126FCD78" type="PART">
<ns0:Num>5.6.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawHeadingVersion id="id_6E908C30-4C2C-48C4-9855-C492BF846C1B">
<ns0:LawHeadingText>SURVEILLANCE PRICING</ns0:LawHeadingText>
</ns0:LawHeadingVersion>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_7765E20C-651C-436C-855C-78536D0F62F3">
<ns0:Num>7200.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_7B337212-0E3F-4342-841B-2B0C06C6DC30">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>For purposes of this part, the following definitions apply:</html:p>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Discounted price” means a price that is verifiably lower than the widely available and publicly disclosed bona fide market price.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Electronic surveillance technology” includes the use of technological methods, systems, or tools, including, but not limited to, sensors, cameras, device tracking, or biometric monitoring, that are capable of gathering personally identifiable information about a consumer’s behavior, characteristics, location, or other personal attributes, whether in physical or digital environments.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Personally identifiable information” shall have the same meaning as “personal information” as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (v) of Section 1798.140 of the Civil Code and any regulations promulgated thereunder.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Retailer” shall have the same meaning as that term is defined in Section 6015 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(e)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Surveillance pricing” means offering or setting a customized price for a good for a specific consumer or group of consumers, based, in whole or in part, on personally identifiable information collected through electronic surveillance technology, including personally identifiable information collected through electronic surveillance technology that is gathered, purchased, or otherwise acquired from a third party.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Surveillance pricing” does not include a discounted price offered to a consumer terminating or taking steps to terminate a service or membership with a person, but does not include offering random variations in prices to different customers using a website, mobile application, or comparable online technology.
</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:LawSectionVersion>
</ns0:LawSection>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_F59ED387-53F5-4AEC-B241-CAD0ECE91DB6">
<ns0:Num>7202.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_F238DDA1-DAFC-4469-A89A-E0298A038B52">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Except as provided in subdivision (b), a retailer shall not engage in surveillance pricing.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Notwithstanding any other law, a retailer does not engage in surveillance pricing if either of the following apply:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The difference in price is based solely on costs associated with providing the good to different consumers.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The retailer offers a discounted price that complies with the requirements of subparagraph (B) and any of the following apply:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(i)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A discounted price is offered based on publicly disclosed eligibility criteria that any consumer could potentially meet, including, but not limited to, signing up for a mailing list, providing personal information registering for promotional communications, or participating in a promotional event. The terms and criteria for receiving the discounted price shall be conveyed clearly and conspicuously disclosed in clear and prominent terms in such a manner that an ordinary consumer would notice and understand them.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(ii)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A discounted price is offered to members of a broadly defined group, including, but not limited to, teachers, active or retired military, senior citizens, students, or residents of a certain area based on publicly disclosed eligibility criteria.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(iii)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A discounted price is offered through
a loyalty, membership, or rewards program that consumers affirmatively purchase or enroll in.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
(i)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The current eligibility criteria, available discounts, and any conditions for receiving or earning the discounted price shall be clearly and conspicuously disclosed on the company’s internet website.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(ii)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The discounted price shall be uniformly offered or made available to all consumers who meet the disclosed eligibility criteria.
</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:LawSectionVersion>
</ns0:LawSection>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_C3F82681-C3CF-4CBB-91FD-6AEC163E0586">
<ns0:Num>7204.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_832FE0E7-7720-4F81-B3A5-2012065DC291">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Except as provided under subdivision (b), actions pursuant to this part may only be brought by the Attorney General, by any district attorney, by any city attorney of a city having a population in excess of 750,000, by a county counsel of any county within which a city has a population in excess of 750,000, by any city attorney of any city and county, or, with the consent of the district attorney, by a city prosecutor in any city having a full-time city prosecutor, in any court of competent jurisdiction.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
In addition to any other remedy at law, a retailer that violates this part shall be liable for the following civil penalties, which shall be assessed and recovered in a civil action brought pursuant to this subdivision:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A civil penalty not to exceed twelve thousand five hundred dollars ($12,500) for each violation, with each violation of this part constituting a separate violation with respect to each consumer or transaction involved.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
For a retailer that intentionally violates this part, a civil penalty no greater than three times the amount of the penalty assessed pursuant to subparagraph (A) and all revenues earned from the violation.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A prevailing plaintiff in an action brought pursuant to this subdivision shall be awarded reasonable attorney’s fees and costs.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
In addition to awarding civil penalties and other monetary relief, a court may award injunctive or declaratory relief as necessary to enforce this part and to remedy any violation of its
provisions.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A consumer may bring an action for injunctive relief as necessary to enforce this part and to remedy any violation of its provisions.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A prevailing plaintiff in an action brought pursuant to this subdivision shall be awarded reasonable attorney’s fees and costs.
</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:LawSectionVersion>
</ns0:LawSection>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_2AF45F73-DA67-4554-9F28-C568E8ED0EBE">
<ns0:Num>7208.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_51F6A3DA-A06E-4DDC-BD65-C61BAEE24E14">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>Any waiver of this part is against public policy and is void and unenforceable.</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:LawSectionVersion>
</ns0:LawSection>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_1DD52B7F-6867-47F7-83B1-9D2EF7F0AEE4">
<ns0:Num>7209.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_C9D9B142-22C4-44BF-AEB3-1B3EC5AB79F0">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>The rights, remedies, and penalties established by this part are cumulative and shall not limit or diminish the rights, remedies, or penalties established under other laws, including, but not limited to, Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 12940) of Part 2.8 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, or Section 51 or Title 1.81.5 (commencing with Section 1798.100) of Part 4 of Division 3 of this code.</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:LawSectionVersion>
</ns0:LawSection>
</ns0:LawHeading>
</ns0:Fragment>
</ns0:BillSection>
<ns0:BillSection id="id_847EFEAA-C57C-44EC-906D-0878D16887F6">
<ns0:Num>SEC. 2.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>The Legislature finds and declares that this act furthers the purposes and intent of the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020.</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:BillSection>
</ns0:Bill>
</ns0:MeasureDoc>