SB 635: Food vendors and facilities: enforcement activities.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

(1)Existing law authorizes a local authority, as defined, to adopt a program to regulate sidewalk vendors if the program complies with specified standards. These standards include restricting the local authority from requiring a sidewalk vendor to operate within specific parts of the public right-of-way, except when that restriction is directly related to objective health, safety, or welfare concerns. A violation of these provisions is punishable only by an administrative fine, as specified.

This bill would prohibit a local authority, except as otherwise required by state or federal law, from providing voluntary consent to any individual to access, review, or obtain certain records of the local authority that include personally identifiable information of any sidewalk vendors in the jurisdiction without a subpoena or judicial warrant. The bill would also prohibit a local authority and its personnel from disclosing or providing in writing, verbally, or in any other manner personally identifiable information of any sidewalk vendor that is requested, except pursuant to a subpoena or a valid judicial warrant. The bill would define “personally identifiable information,” for these purposes, to include an individual’s name, business name, home address, business address, birthdate, telephone number, California driver’s license or identification, and other related information. The bill would also define “immigration enforcement” for these purposes.

Existing law authorizes a local authority to adopt additional requirements regulating the time, place, and manner of sidewalk vending if the requirements are directly related to objective health, safety, or welfare concerns. These include requiring the sidewalk vendor to obtain from the local authority a permit or valid business license, provided that the local authority issuing the permit or business license accepts a California driver’s license or identification number, an individual taxpayer identification number, or a municipal identification number in lieu of a social security number for the issuance of a permit or business license, and that the number collected is not disclosed, except as specified.

This bill would also prohibit a local authority, in the above-described circumstances, from inquiring into or collecting information about an individual’s immigration or citizenship status, place of birth, or individual criminal history, or requiring an applicant to submit fingerprints, complete a LiveScan fingerprinting, or submit to a background check as part of an application for a permit or business license. The bill would require a local authority that inquired into or collected information or documentation regarding an individual’s place of birth or criminal history, required an applicant to submit fingerprints or complete a LiveScan fingerprinting, or performed a background check before January 1, 2026, to destroy those records on or before March 1, 2026, unless those records are expressly required by law to be preserved. The bill would provide that specified personally identifiable information collected by a local authority is exempt from disclosure under the California Public Records Act.

This bill would prohibit an agency or department of a local authority, including any nonpublic entity working on the local authority’s behalf, as provided, from using local authority moneys or personnel to investigate, interrogate, detain, detect, or arrest persons for certain purposes, and from engaging in specified activities related to immigration enforcement, when enforcing certain provisions regulating sidewalk vendors. The bill, for specified contracts between a nonpublic entity and a local authority entered into or modified on or after January 1, 2026, would require a nonpublic entity to explicitly agree to adhere to these provisions and would immediately terminate the contract if it is found that the nonpublic entity has violated these provisions.

(2)Existing law, the California Retail Food Code (the code), establishes uniform health and sanitation standards for, and provides for regulation by the State Department of Public Health of, retail food facilities and requires local health agencies to enforce these provisions. Existing law requires compact mobile food operations to meet specified health and safety standards. For purposes of the code, a “compact mobile food operation,” means a mobile food facility that operates from an individual or from a pushcart, stand, display, pedal-driven cart, wagon, showcase, rack, or other nonmotorized conveyance. Existing law makes a violation of these provisions by an operator or employee of a compact mobile food operation or a sidewalk vendor punishable only by an administrative fine, as specified.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 12

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. October 7, 2025Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 463, Statutes of 2025.
2. October 7, 2025Approved by the Governor.
3. September 23, 2025Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
4. September 13, 2025Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 29. Noes 8. Page 3024.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
5. September 12, 2025In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
6. September 12, 2025Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 58. Noes 15. Page 3393.) Ordered to the Senate.
7. September 4, 2025Ordered to third reading.
8. September 4, 2025Read third time and amended.
9. September 3, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
10. September 2, 2025Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
11. August 29, 2025From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 4.) (August 29).
12. August 20, 2025August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.