The new law could cause Walmart to abandon self-checkout in the US state unless the company follows five strict conditions

MILLIONS of shoppers could be affected if a new self-checkout law aimed at protecting workers and customers becomes law later this year.

California legislation regulating self-checkout policies — officially known as SB 1446 — could lead some retailers like Walmart to ditch the machines altogether to meet the new requirements.

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The bill has been hotly debated since it was introduced to the state Senate earlier this year by Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, a Democrat from Los Angeles.

If approved, California retailers will have to meet five key conditions to continue using self-checkout machines, according to local Nextar affiliate KTLA.

Customers will immediately notice that the law limits the use of self-checkout machines to shoppers with ten items or fewer.

It also prohibits the sale of alcohol or tobacco from the machines.

If the bill becomes law, retailers will have to get used to even more changes.

Stores will be required to have at least one manual checkout station manned at all times and may require one employee to oversee a maximum of two self-checkout kiosks at a time.

Additionally, any employee on self-checkout duty must be relieved of all other duties so they can properly monitor the area.

“This bill would prohibit a grocery store or drug retail establishment from providing a self-service checkout option to customers unless specified conditions,” said the legislation States.

SELF-CHECK

Retailers like Wal-Mart and Target that have made self-checkout an integral part of their store design may have to rethink their store layouts if SB 1446 becomes law.

The bill also includes additional requirements.

In addition to the conditions mentioned above, retail employers would be required to conduct a study on the impact of placing self-checkout in a new location for the first time before making a final decision.

Employers would be required to alert employees at least 60 days before implementing the study and incorporate worker input throughout the process.

The analysis should include an analysis of any technology that could replace a job or eliminate an essential function.

The bill would also require employers to include self-check work as a specific environment for potential workplace hazards.

CHANGES ALREADY UNDERWAY

Although the law is expected to send shockwaves throughout CaliforniaIf the bill becomes law later this year, some retailers have already begun adopting aspects of the legislation.

Target made headlines last fall when it experimented with a new Express Self-Checkout strategy that only allowed shoppers with ten or fewer items to use kiosks.

Then, the company shocked shoppers when it adopted the streamlined payment process at all of its 2,000 stores nationwide in March.

Like supporters of SB 1446, Target representatives said the change was intended to improve the customer experience.

“We are making updates across the network to make our checkout experience even more enjoyable,” the company said in a statement following the announcement.

California’s new law was widely supported by labor union groups but opposed by business leaders such as the California Chamber of Commerce.

Walmart did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The US Sun.