Get sued if your business doesn't speak every language on Earth (San Francisco: renters, house)

[EscapeCalifornia]

Bill would ban firms from language discrimination

The state Senate has passed a bill that proponents say will better protect California’s foreign language speakers and opponents say will subject small businesses to shakedown lawsuits.

SB 111, authored by Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, would make it a violation of the state’s civil rights law for a company to require that a specific language be spoken at the business unless it has a narrowly defined business necessity.

Such discrimination is already prohibited against employees or renters under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. Yee’s measure would extend the protection to customers and allow them to sue privately and receive minimum damages of $4,000 per violation.

More: Bill would ban firms from language discrimination - Jan Norman on Small Business - The Orange County Register

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This is bad news for anyone who runs a business that interacts with the public. Lets just make it even less attractive to run a business in California.

[Oerdin]

It hasn't become law yet and it likely won't since the business lobby is much stronger in the lower house then the Senate in this state.

[ZhugeLiang]

Leland Yee, no surprise here. This guy has a disturbing lust for power. This bill is among the worst ideas in the history of bad ideas.

[Bulldogdad]

Leland Yee is a perfect definition of the term "loony left"





Know thy enemy!

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

The state Senate has passed a bill that proponents say will better protect California’s foreign language speakers

Protect them from what? Do they need protection? Has anyone asked them?

The Cambodian immigrants who run a string of local doughnut shops have this very odd solution to the language barrier: They learn English.

I know, I know... it's crazy.

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco

Well I'm shocked I tell you, simply shocked. A Dem from SF, pushing something like this? Whoda thunk?

[TimC2462]

Obviously, Leland Yee has never been a small business owner.

[ZhugeLiang]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

Well I'm shocked I tell you, simply shocked. A Dem from SF, pushing something like this? Whoda thunk?

It's not what you think.

He's in the running for mayor of S.F. I'm thinking his logic dictates that the more outrageous legislation he proposes, the better the chances he'll standout as the most mentally unstable, in other words, a perfect fit for mayor of S.F.

[jeffredo]

If it passes I'll go around to every Chinese staffed business in the Sunset and Richmond districts and demand they speak English to me (or intelligible English) or I'll sue. That'll make them more surely and rude than usual.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by Oerdin

It hasn't become law yet and it likely won't since the business lobby is much stronger in the lower house then the Senate in this state.

According to the article, it passed the legislature two years ago and Schwarzenegger vetoed it. This one has already passed the senate and there's little reason to believe it won't pass the assembly.