Innocent Californians are suffering the consequences of woke “defund the police” politicians.
Human excrement is piling up on the streets and sidewalks, businesses are being looted, and consumers can’t find places to shop because stores are leaving.
And now, yet another unhinged California lawmaker has put forth a brand-new proposal that is extremely insane that blames the victims of their woke policies.
San Francisco lawmaker wants to sue grocery stores that close
Dean Preston, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, just introduced new legislation that would require grocery stores to give six months’ notice before closing a store and would also need to explore a replacement supermarket at the same location.
Preston calls the proposal the Grocery Protection Act, and it’s based on a similar proposal approved by the board in 1984.
That proposal was ultimately vetoed by then-San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein, but Preston is trying to bring it back to life today.
The new law would require grocery store owners to provide six months’ written notice to the Board of Supervisors and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) before they officially close.
Each store would also be required to post notices at every entrance and exit so they can inform customers and the general public about the closure ahead of time.
One exception would be if a store is forced to close due to being unprofitable.
In a press release, Preston said, “It was a good idea in 1984, and it’s an even better idea now. Our communities need notice, an opportunity to be heard, and a transition plan when major neighborhood grocery stores plan to shut their doors. Meeting the food security needs of our seniors and families cannot be left to unilateral backroom decisions by massive corporate entities.”
The requirement to give notice would be waived if the closure is caused by specific business circumstances that were not reasonably foreseeable at the time when the notice would be required or if the closure is due to an emergency or natural disaster.
If the business is actively seeking capital, the notice would not be required as long as the business has reasonable and good faith, believing that giving the notice would keep the store from getting the capital it needs to remain open.
However, any grocery stores that rely on those exceptions would still be required to give as much notice as possible before closing and must also explain why they should get a reduced notice period.
The law gets crazier
According to language in the bill, grocery stores must also “meet and work in good faith with neighborhood residents” and the OEWD would help to find a workable solution that would keep groceries available at the same location.
Those solutions might include finding strategies and resources that would allow the store to stay open, helping residents organize and open a cooperative, and identifying another grocery store operator to take over.
If a person fails to comply with the new requirements, they may be faced with legal proceedings for damages, injunctive relief, declaratory relief, or a writ of mandate to remedy the violation.
Preston’s bill comes amidst San Francisco dealing with a massive rise in store and office closures due to a major crime and drug crisis.
A Whole Foods store in San Francisco closed a little more than one year after it opened after it dealt with 568 emergency calls in a 13-month period, including vagrants fighting, yelling, throwing food, and trying to defecate on the floor.
Informed American will keep you up-to-date on any developments to this ongoing story.
