Editor’s note: This article was submitted by a local business owner as an op-ed, or opinion piece. The views expressed are those of the author and are independent of the Elk Grove Citizen’s news coverage.

ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - Most mornings start before the sun comes up. 

By 7 a.m., I’m reviewing the day’s schedule. A leaking water heater, a clogged drain, a family with a furnace on the fritz. Some days I’m at my desk trying to make a dent in paperwork. Some days I’m on the phone explaining repair options. Every day, I’m thinking about my employees, my customers, and whether we’re doing enough to keep the business strong. 

Owning a small plumbing company isn’t just a job. It’s payroll, insurance, licensing, inventory, customer service, marketing and late-night emergency calls. It’s rising supply costs and tight margins. It’s wearing every hat because there isn’t anyone else to wear it. 

Like most small businesses, we have a website. It’s simple, it lists our services, shares reviews and allows customers to request appointments. In today’s world, a website is just the modern storefront. Without one, you’re invisible. 

What I never expected was that having a basic website could get me sued under a 1967 criminal wiretapping law. 

The California Invasion of Privacy Act was written long before the internet existed. It was designed to stop people from secretly recording private phone conversations. Yet today, trial lawyers are sending demand letters to small businesses owners claiming that common website tools, tools widely used across industries, violate this criminal statute. 

And I’m not the only one. Nearly 3,000 of my fellow plumbers, contractors, restaurants and retailers have been targeted by these predatory lawsuits in the last two years.  

Small, locally owned businesses that are simply trying to serve customers and compete in a digital economy are being told we could face significant liability for using standard website features we believe are lawful. 

When I first learned about this, I was stunned. I’m not intercepting private conversations. I’m not spying on anyone. I’m trying to fix plumbing and keep my team employed. 

What makes this even more frustrating is that we trust our counsel to make sure we comply with California’s applicable privacy laws. We post our privacy policy; we give our website visitors the option to control how their information is used.  

Yet despite following today’s privacy rules, we’re being threatened under a 60-year-old criminal statute written for an entirely different era. 

Small businesses operate on tight margins. One lawsuit, or even the threat of one, can be devastating. If I have to pay thousands of dollars to settle with predatory lawyers, that means I won’t be able to pay for new equipment purchases; it could mean delaying a hire or even cutting back on employee benefits. 

For large corporations, litigation may be a line item. For small businesses like mine, it’s personal. It affects real people: the technician who just had a baby, the office manager putting her kids through school, the apprentice learning a trade. 

That pressure doesn’t just affect owners. It affects employees and their families. It affects the local charities and youth sports teams we support. It affects the stability of small businesses that are the backbone of communities like mine. 

Privacy absolutely matters. Customers deserve transparency and protection online. But there must also be fairness and common sense. Laws written in 1967 shouldn’t be twisted beyond recognition in ways that punish small business owners who are acting in good faith and complying with modern standards. 

That’s why efforts to clarify and modernize the law matter. Senate Bill 690 will do just that. This isn’t about weakening privacy protections. It’s about ensuring that criminal statutes aren’t weaponized against small business owners who are simply trying to operate responsibly in today’s digital world. 

At the end of the day, I’m running a plumbing business, not a criminal spy ring.  

I work hard. I treat customers with respect. I follow the law as it exists today. I invest in my business and my community. 

I shouldn’t have to worry that the same website helping a family schedule a repair could be used to accuse me of criminal conduct. 

Small business owners across California are simply asking for clarity, fairness and the ability to focus on what we do best, serving our communities, instead of defending ourselves from legal traps we never imagined. 

Support SB 690.  

Belinda Gutierrez is the owner of Elk Grove Plumbing, Drain, Heating and Air.