Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law on Saturday that keeps surcharges on restaurant and bar checks in the state legal. Senate Bill 1524 will make restaurants exempt from another new state law banning "junk fees." "I understand both sides of the debate, but I just really appreciate transparency in my dining, "said Kenneth Lim, owner of The Hobnob in Alameda. "I don’t really agree with putting the surcharges on.
"The Golden Gate Restaurant Association, which strongly backed the new bill, released a statement on Saturday that said in part, "After nine months of stress and uncertainty, we are relieved to have clarity as to the use of service or surcharges on restaurant menus. So many of our members are independent restaurants and rely on these line item charges to provide employee benefits and support pay equity. This clarification is much appreciated.