The California state Senate passed a controversial bill that would establish new workplace violence prevention standards , but not everyone is on board, reports Scripps News. Senate Bill 553, introduced by Sen. Dave Cortese, would prohibit employers from "maintaining policies that require employees to confront active shooters or suspected shoplifters." It would also require businesses to keep a log of violent incidents and provide active shooter training to all non-healthcare workers. Cortese says the legislation is intended to reduce workplace violence and protect employees from thieves. "With growing awareness of workplace violence, California needs smarter guidelines to keep workers safe in the office or on the job site," Cortese said.
The bill. would not prevent trained security guards from confronting criminals or active shooters. It comes in response to violent incidents at California businesses. In April, a Walgreen security guard shot and killed a suspected shoplifter after being directed by his employer to use a "hands on" approach to recover the stolen goods. In the same month, a Home Depot employee was shot and killed while trying to intervene and stop an active robbery. The California Chamber of Commerce, along with dozens of other organizations, opposes the bill. The chamber's Rob Moutrie said the measure "requires all employers to meet workplace violence standards that exceed even those applied to hospitals ... and applies the hospital standard—with a few additional provisions—to even the smallest employer in the state."
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