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Nevada legislator proposes fees for retailers using self-serve kiosks

April 12, 2019

A Nevada state lawmaker has introduced a bill to require employers utilizing self-service kiosks to pay a quarterly fee.

The bill, AB394, introduced by Democratic Assemblywoman Susie Martinez, requires the employer to pay a fee for each self-service device in an amount equal to the average unemployment contribution per employee. The fees would be deposited in the unemployment compensation administration fund, which is used to defray administrative costs related to unemployment compensation.

The bill specifies that employers that have kiosks where a customer enters the purchase price of an item and completes the transaction will be required to pay the fee. The law would become effective July 1, 2019.

Martinez, a freshman lawmaker, works at the Flamingo casino and told The Nevada Independent she has witnessed machines taking away jobs.

Bryan Wachter, a lobbyist for the Retail Association of Nevada, called the bill "almost a minimum wage on robots" and said the law would adversely affect businesses with high turnover.