Our California sponsors say it will increase worker safety and limit retail theft, but opponents contend it won't accomplish either. Here's NBC Bay Area's Ian Cull with how it could change your shopping experience. Reporter the self checkout lanes at grocery and retail drug stores would look a little different. Senate Bill 1446 allows those stores to continue offering self checkout if all these conditions are met. Checkouts. Are limited to ten items or less. At least one staff checkout lane is available. Customers are prohibited from purchasing certain products that require an ID, like alcohol and tobacco, but also items behind locked cabinets, and one employee can only monitor up to two self-service service stations. Supporters say it would reduce retail theft and make working conditions safer. This act will protect workers and the public by ensuring safe staffing levels at grocery and drug stores and regulating self-checkout machines in a way that's being smart. On crime reporter Leticia Costa manages multiple self checkouts at a Lucky's in Pinole. I have also observed customers who just walk through the self checkout area when there's no workers, and they walk out with their items. Costa joined the state senator for a virtual press conference this morning. She says in February, she saw three women stealing items, so she called 911. But then they turned around and attacked her. And because of this incident, I am terrified to report any incidents of theft. The proposed law would also require employees monitoring self checkout to be solely focused on that task, and not be asked to do anything else. The California Retailers Association is not on board. Its CEO says the bill doesn't do enough to protect employees and customers, instead said, we're supporting a package of bills that really is a comprehensive approach to address the issue of retail theft. It includes going after and providing consequences to serial shoplifters. It goes after boosters who are selling stolen goods. San Jose shoppers, we talked to like the idea of tweaking self-check aisles. It's good because it's going to protect target and employees and also the people. I myself think it's a great idea because sometimes I just want to go in and out. And when people have more than ten items, it just makes it that much longer. SB 1446 is now in the Appropriations Committee in Sacramento before it can
