SB 637 California Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Consumer review platforms.

Summary

Existing law prohibits a contract, or proposed contract, for the sale or lease of consumer goods or services from including a provision waiving the consumer's right to make a statement regarding the seller or lessor, or its employees or agents, or concerning the goods or services. This bill would prohibit a business from making a consumer review platform available in the state that does not allow a business to opt out of being the subject of consumer reviews or consumer testimonials on the consumer review platform. The bill would define "consumer review platform" to mean an online platform, or a portion of an online platform, that is dedicated to enabling a consumer to see or hear consumer reviews of, or consumer testimonials with respect to, particular businesses that consumers have submitted to the online platform.

Issues: ✗ Technology

Bill status failed 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 20, 2025 Last action Feb 2, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

03/24/25 - Amended Senate → SB637 · 2 edits

MINOR

The diff reflects a transition from an official printed bill document to a web page rendering of the same bill. No substantive policy changes were made to the legislative text. The definitions, opt-out requirement, and intent statement are identical between versions.

TECHNICAL

The short title was changed from 'relating to consumer protection' to 'relating to consumer protection. business,' adding 'business' as an additional subject descriptor.

Formatting changed from a printed bill layout with line numbers and page headers to a web page layout with navigation elements, search tools, and version tracking links.

02/20/25 - Introduced → 03/24/25 - Amended Senate · 4 edits · Mar 24, 2025

MODERATE

SB 637 was transformed from a non-binding legislative intent statement into a substantive new law adding Chapter 22.9 to the Business and Professions Code. The amended bill prohibits any business from making a consumer review platform available in California unless that platform allows businesses to opt out of being reviewed or featured in testimonials. This creates a real regulatory obligation for operators of review platforms (such as Yelp, Google Reviews, etc.) doing business in the state.

Scope change

Changed from a non-binding statement of legislative intent with no legal effect to an enforceable prohibition on consumer review platforms that do not offer businesses an opt-out mechanism. Applies to any business entity making a consumer review platform available in California.

SCOPE

Added an entirely new Chapter 22.9 (Sections 22685-22686) to Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code, replacing a bill that contained only a statement of legislative intent with no operative provisions.

The bill's scope expanded from a general, non-operative expression of intent regarding consumer protection to a specific regulatory prohibition targeting consumer review platforms operating in the state.

DEFINITION

Defined four key terms: 'consumer review' (a consumer's evaluation published on a dedicated platform), 'consumer review platform' (an online platform dedicated to enabling consumers to see or hear reviews of particular businesses), 'consumer testimonial' (advertising or promotional messages consumers believe reflect real consumer opinions), and 'covered business' (any business entity that makes a consumer review platform available in the state).

REQUIREMENT

Section 22686 prohibits a covered business from making a consumer review platform available in California if the platform does not allow businesses to opt out of being the subject of consumer reviews or consumer testimonials on that platform.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 2, 2025

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

upper

Mar 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.

upper

Mar 5, 2025

Committee

Referred to Com. on RLS.

upper

Feb 20, 2025

Introduced

Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors