CA SB1457

Requires state agencies with significant rulemaking authority over small businesses to establish a policy by January 1, 2022, for reducing or waiving civil penalties for regulatory or statutory violations by small businesses.

Policy applies only to violations that did not involve willful or criminal conduct and did not pose a serious health or environmental threat, with discretionary civil penalties only.

Policy must consider factors including: degree of cooperation during investigation, corrective actions taken, prior regulatory compliance history, and whether penalty would impede business operations.

Requires state agencies to post their penalty reduction/waiver policy on their websites and annually post a utilization report showing enforcement actions reviewed, qualifying small businesses, and total dollar amounts of reductions and waivers.

Defines "small business" as independently owned, not dominant in its field, with fewer than 100 employees and average annual gross receipts of $15 million or less over the previous three years.