(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 federal law, from providing voluntary consent to an immigration enforcement agent to access, review, or obtain any of the local authority's records 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 for purposes of immigration enforcement, except pursuant to a valid judicial warrant. The bill would define "personally identifiable information," for these purposes, to include an individual's name, business name, home and 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 immigration or citizenship status, 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. The bill would additionally prohibit a local authority from delegating or assigning authority to, or contracting with, a nonpublic entity to enforce sidewalk vending rules, impound sidewalk vending equipment, or cite, fine, or prosecute a sidewalk vendor for a violation of sidewalk vending rules or regulations.
(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.
This bill would prohibit an enforcement agency from delegating or assigning authority to, or contracting with, a nonpublic entity to enforce the above provisions governing compact mobile food operations, impound compact mobile food operation equipment, or cite, fine, or prosecute an operator or employee of a compact mobile food operation for a violation of those provisions.
This bill would also prohibit an enforcement agency from providing voluntary consent to an immigration enforcement agent to access, review, or obtain any of the enforcement agency's records that include personally identifiable information of any sidewalk vendor or operator or employee of a compact mobile food operation in the jurisdiction without a subpoena or judicial warrant. The bill would further 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 for purposes of immigration enforcement, except pursuant to a valid judicial warrant.
Existing law prohibits a food facility from being open for business without a valid permit and requires a permit to be issued by the enforcement agency when investigation has determined that the proposed facility and its methods of operation conform to code requirements.
This bill would require a permit application for a compact mobile food operation to comply with specified requirements. In this regard, the bill would require an enforcement agency to accept a California driver's license or identification number, an individual taxpayer identification, or a municipal identification number in lieu of a social security number. The bill would also prohibit an enforcement agency from, among other things, inquiring into the individual's immigration, citizenship status, or criminal history, as prescribed. The bill would further require an enforcement agency that inquired into or collected information or documentation regarding an individual's immigration or citizenship status, 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. The bill would make other related changes to these provisions. To the extent the bill would impose new requirements on local government agencies, it would create a state-mandated local program.
Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest.
This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Statutes affected:
SB 635: 51036 GOV, 51038 GOV, 51039 GOV, 114368.8 HSC, 114381 HSC
02/20/25 - Introduced: 51036 GOV, 51038 GOV, 51039 GOV, 114368.8 HSC, 114381 HSC
03/26/25 - Amended Senate: 51036 GOV, 51038 GOV, 51039 GOV, 114368.8 HSC, 114381 HSC
04/07/25 - Amended Senate: 51036 GOV, 51038 GOV, 51039 GOV, 114368.8 HSC, 114381 HSC
05/01/25 - Amended Senate: 51036 GOV, 51038 GOV, 51039 GOV, 114368.8 HSC, 114381 HSC