Proponents for an initiative that would repeal California's AB 257 – the Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery (FAST) Act – have collected the required signatures for placing the measure on the November 2024 election ballot.
More than 1 million signatures were submitted to the California Secretary of State on Dec. 5, which halts implementation of the law until voters decide on it.
A statement issued by the Save Local Restaurants coalition said the message from voters is that they want more input on the FAST Act.
“The FAST Act would have an enormous impact on Californians, and clearly voters want a say in whether it should stand,” the coalition statement said.
“The measure would establish an unelected council to control labor policy in the counter-service restaurant industry, cause food prices to increase by as much as 20% during a period of decades-high inflation, and harm thousands of small family-, minority-, and women-owned businesses across the state. Given less than one-third of Californians support AB 257, it is no surprise that over one million Californians have voiced their concerns with the legislation. The Save Local Restaurants Coalition is committed to helping ensure this bad law will not go into effect and voters have their voices heard.”
The California Department of Finance also opposed the measure.
Restaurant industry leaders said they are committed to putting the decision on the 2024 ballot.
“Because we think voters need to have a say when laws like the FAST Act would fracture the restaurant industry and harm the people who make restaurant businesses great. Californians agree with us and it’s clear they want a chance to stop this law,” Michelle Korsmo, president & CEO of the National Restaurant Association, said.
“The fact this process puts this law on hold ensures that restaurants can operate without disruption in the meantime and diners won’t lose the brands they love.”