SACRAMENTO, CA – On Tuesday, Governor Brown signed the Safe Sidewalk Vending Act (Senate Bill 946), prohibiting criminal penalties for sidewalk vending and treating vendors like other businesses in the state.
“With Senate Bill 946 we can start seeing sidewalk vendors for who they are – women and seniors, single parents, and micro-business owners taking that first step to starting their own business,” said Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens). “Governor Brown’s signature validates that thousands of sidewalk vendors are an important part of our economy, whose hard work supports their families and gives California its unique flavor.”
SB 946 allows municipalities to establish permit programs for vendors, and they may require sidewalk vendors to obtain a business license and abide by state tax laws, just like other businesses.
Vendors who were previously convicted under local anti-vending laws may petition the court for dismissal of the sentence.
Senator Lara introduced SB 946 in response to stories of arrests and harassment of vendors.
Last year ICE agents detained a sidewalk vendor and mother of four in Rancho Cucamonga after she was arrested for selling corn. An immigration judge ordered her release after community protests.
A recent survey of Los Angeles vendors found that 80 percent are women and many are seniors. Harassment or arrests of vendors strikes at families and at those on fixed incomes.
SB 946 had support from more than 60 groups including the Los Angeles Street Vendor Campaign members East L.A. Community Corporation, Public Counsel, the L.A. Food Policy Council and Leadership for Urban Renewal Network.
“I feel very emotional with the news of Governor Brown signing SB 946,” said Caridad Vasquez, a Los Angeles sidewalk vendor and a leader of the Los Angeles Street Vendor Campaign. “Now the thousands of vendors can come out of the shadows and contribute to our economy openly as the small businesses we are. Thank you to Senator Lara for supporting us and moving this bill forward.”
4 comments
Yes! Finally!!
Mexican street snacks.. good for the kids
ring, ring chiclets … churros…
There’s one thing in life I crave more than anything. Bacon wrapped hot dogs with grilled onions. If there were a vendor on every corner I’d think I’d died and gone to heaven. (Probably literally died of heart attack, but I digress.)
I think this is a great idea if properly permitted and taxed like any other small business. Oh, and did I mention bacon wrapped hot dogs? Win, win.
Is Lara going to ensure that these “small business owners” will collect sales tax on their products and ensure they report & pay all necessary state & federal taxes on their income?
Brick & mortar shops are going to be less than thrilled about this. Why pay thousands in rent, jump through hoops to obtain licensing, going through the permitting process to arrange the store as you need it, carry liability insurance, collect/report/pay taxes, and go through the burdensome process of employing & paying staff when you can just set up shop on the sidewalk and collect pure profit?
This is disrespectful to law abiding business owners who are jumping through all the hoops local, state, and federal governments keep putting in their way.
Creating a law to protect those who continue to willingly break the law does not make our society better. There are alternatives to this law through local collective markets where unlicensed illegal vendors could meet and hock their wares on private property (swap meets, etc.
This is a local issue which should be controlled at the local level. Lara’s dislike of the President and his policies is clouding his judgement.
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