SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Small business owners from across California came to Sacramento to protest SB 553.
The bill introduced by State Senator Dave Cortese aims to prevent workplace violence by prohibiting employers from forcing their staff to confront active shoplifters.
Small business owners are concerned passage of the bill would increase shop lifting. They also said hiring security guards would be too costly.
"Bills are saying that this is in protection of the employees, but it only protects the shoplifters," said Andy Chhikara, a gas station owner in Fresno and event organizer. "We believe this bill is going to increase the shoplifting."
Chhikara is one of hundreds of business owners who came to the California State Capitol Wednesday to speak out against the bill. Some protest participants came in by the busload from Fresno, and others came from as far as Los Angeles.
"Every day or every other day, people are coming openly and taking stuff and walking out. Police come either 10 hours later or next day or they say file online report. We are in bad situation," said Moti Balyn, a car wash and liquor store owner from Los Angeles.
Both Balyn and Chhikara said their shops have been hit by thieves.
"Stop this nonsense. Pass a bill to protect small businesses, not the criminal," said Balyn.
Retail theft and smash and grab robberies are a big problem across the nation and in California.
Last year, a smash-and-grab theft happened at a jewelry store in the Roseville Galleria, and just weeks ago, a man was caught on camera in Stockton trying to steal tobacco from a 7-Eleven where video showed the workers fighting back.
The bill is receiving support from the United Food and Commercial Workers labor union, which represents retail workers among other industries.
President Mark Ramos called the bill a "life-saving measure." In a statement to ABC10, he said it prevents "untrained, rank-and-file employees from having to confront a potentially dangerous shoplifter."
“Going to work shouldn't be a life-threatening experience, but our workers have been spit on, screamed at, physically beaten and even murdered on the job," he added.
ABC10 reached out to the bill's author. His office said the bill does not prohibit dedicated security personnel, such as security guards, from stopping shoplifters.
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