Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation Oct. 9 requiring large department stores that sell kid’s products to maintain a gender-neutral section for toys and child care items. Assembly Bill 1084 was introduced by Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Silicon Valley) and Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens) in February with an aim to create an equal and free setting in all business establishments of every kind. The bill applies to retail department stores in California that have 500 or more employees across all California retail department store locations that sell childcare items or toys. Begining Jan. 1, 2024, any eligible retail stores that fail to comply with the bill will be liable for a civil penalty of up to $250 for a first violation and $500 for subsequent violations. In 2015, Target announced that its stores will move away from unnecessary gender-based signage to help strike a better balance among a wide variety of customers. …