California Business and Professions Code

§ 17210

BPC § 17210 Effective Jan 1, 2000Div. 7 · Part 2 · Ch. 5

Statute text

(a)For purposes of this section, “hotel” means any hotel, motel, bed and breakfast inn, or other similar transient lodging establishment, but it does not include any residential hotel as defined in Section 50519 of the Health and Safety Code. “Innkeeper” means the owner or operator of a hotel, or the duly authorized agent or employee of the owner or operator.

(b)For purposes of this section, “handbill” means, and is specifically limited to, any tangible commercial solicitation to guests of the hotel urging that they patronize any commercial enterprise.

(c)Every person (hereinafter “distributor”) engages in unfair competition for purposes of this chapter who deposits, places, throws, scatters, casts, or otherwise distributes any handbill to any individual guest rooms in any hotel, including, but not limited to, placing, throwing, leaving, or attaching any handbill adjacent to, upon, or underneath any guest room door, doorknob, or guest room entryway, where either the innkeeper has expressed objection to handbill distribution, either orally to the distributor or by the posting of a sign or other notice in a conspicuous place within the lobby area and at all points of access from the exterior of the premises to guest room areas indicating that handbill distribution is prohibited, or the distributor has received written notice pursuant to subdivision (e) that the innkeeper has expressed objection to the distribution of handbills to guest rooms in the hotel.

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Legislative history

Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 354, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2000.