According to a new law effective as of July 1, California bars and nightclubs are now required to offer common date-rape drug test kits to their customers.

Specifically, the law, Assembly Bill 1013, requires approximately 2,400 establishments with a Type 48 licence to display signs letting patrons know that drug testing kits are available.

Moreover, the displayed signage is required to state the following: “Don’t get roofied! Drink spiking drug test kits available here. Ask a staff member for details.”

A press release published by the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control states that a total of 2,400 establishments with Type 48 licences which permit the sale of beer, wine, and distilled spirits, will be required to offer the testing devices free or at a price that would not to exceed a « reasonable amount based on the wholesale cost.”

“Drug testing devices could include test strips, stickers, straws or other devices that can detect the presence of controlled substances in drinks,” reads the press release. “These substances could include flunitrazepam, ketamine, and gamma hydroxybutyric acid.”

While the bill states that bars and clubs will not be held responsible for “a defective test or inaccurate test result, including, but not limited to, a false positive or false negative test result,” they will be required to ensure that the testing kids have not expired.

“This is only the first step to protecting our community. In the new legislative year, I will be reintroducing AB 1524 to bring test strips to (community colleges) and (California state universities) as well,” said Assembly member Josh Lowenthal in a press release.

“It is unconscionable for people who are in the industry to know that sexual assault is taking place and indirectly happening when we are serving alcohol because there are perpetrators out there that are, you know, using the consumption of alcohol as a mechanism to drug, you know, women and LGBTQ men, primarily, and commit sexual assault,” Lowenthal added.