Shoppers at stores like Walmart and Target could soon notice a major change at checkout.
A new proposal in Rhode Island aims to place limits on self-checkout lanes while requiring more traditional cashier-operated registers.
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The legislation has already cleared the Rhode Island Senate after being approved on May 21. However, it has not yet been officially signed into law.
What does that actually mean?
If enacted, Rhode Island would become the first state in America to introduce statewide restrictions on self-checkout use in grocery stores.
The measure would require retailers to maintain at least one staffed checkout lane for every three self-checkout stations.
Meanwhile, stores would also be prevented from operating more than six self-checkout lanes at the same time.
According to Rep. Megan Cotter, the proposal would apply to all grocery retailers, including major chains such as Walmart and Target.
Why does Rhode Island want to restrict self-checkout?
Supporters say the bill is designed to improve the shopping experience while also protecting workers.
Senate President Valarie Lawson said the legislation would benefit both employees and customers, particularly older shoppers.
"We've all experienced frustration at a self-service checkout, and this experience can be far more challenging for elderly members of the community," Lawson said when the bill was first introduced in May 2025.
"This bill would provide options for the consumer by making sure staffed checkout lanes are always available while also improving the store environment for workers and consumers.
"When stores use too many self-checkout stations it can cut worker hours and leave some workers struggling to manually cover eight self-checkout stations on their own."
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