Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a bill that will protect the privacy and data of street vendors across California.
Authored by Sen. María Elena Durazo, the Street Vendor Business Protection Act, or SB 635, will safeguard the personal information of street vendors from being accessed by immigration enforcement agents.
Currently, some local governments are allowed to collect and store information – such as citizenship or immigration status— from people applying for street vending permits. In some jurisdictions, vendors are even required to undergo fingerprinting. Under California state law, federal authorities, including immigration enforcement agencies, can access that data.
“Street vendors are a cornerstone of our communities and contribute significantly to California’s vibrant culture and economy,” Durazo, who represents Boyle Heights and other Eastside neighborhoods of Los Angeles, said in a statement.
“This law affirms California’s commitment to protect immigrant families, support small business owners, and ensure that our limited state and local resources are not used for federal immigration enforcement,” Durazo added.
SB 635 will:
- Prevent immigration enforcement agents from accessing street vendor data collected by local governments, such as L.A. County or the city
- Prohibit local sidewalk vending permitting programs from inquiring into immigration or citizenship status, or requiring invasive fingerprint background checks
- Prohibit local sidewalk vending enforcement officers from using their resources to support federal immigration enforcement
The bill will take effect Jan. 1.
Boyle Heights Beat reporter Andrew Lopez contributed to this report.
