New Safe Sidewalk Vending Act: What Does it Mean for Cities and Counties?

Whether, where, and under what terms to allow sidewalk vending has historically been a question left to each unique city and county to address after weighing the often competing interests of various local stakeholders. All that changed on September 17, 2018, when Governor Brown signed SB 946, the Safe Sidewalk Vending Act, into law. Effective January 1, 2019, sidewalk vending will be elevated to a new and prominent status statewide, and local authorities will be prohibited from regulating sidewalk vending in a manner that is inconsistent with the restrictions and requirements in the new law.

Deborah Fox, chair of Meyers Nave’s First Amendment and Trial and Litigation Practice Groups published an article in The Recorder to help explain the new law and outline what cities and counties need to do in order to comply. Their article answers the questions noted below. Please click here to read their article.

• What brought SB 946 to the scene?
• Which sidewalk vendors are covered?
• How does SB 946 limit local control?
• How does SB 946 impact decriminalization?
• What should cities and counties do to comply with SB 946?
• What are the best next steps?