Category Archives: CFC in the News
ABC TV: Expired meds and baby food still for sale
by Bob Hayes, ABC 7 - TV
“40 percent of the Rite-Aid stories in California today are selling expired over-the-counter medicine, baby food and infant formula,” said Richard Holober, Consumer Federation of California. Read More ›
Governor Urged to Sign Bill to Prevent Sale of Expired Baby Food and Over the Counter Medicine
“California consumers should be entitled to purchase medications that are safe and effective and parents and children deserve assurances that their baby food is nutritional and healthy,” said Richard Holober, Executive Director of the CFC. “Shockingly, we found that fully 41% of Rite Aid stores fail the test.” Read More ›
Richard Holober: Landmark privacy law deserves an update
by Richard Holober, CFC Executive Director, Santa Cruz Sentinel
As the tally of victims grows, so must our commitment to strengthen privacy protections. That’s why the Consumer Federation of California and a host of other consumer advocates across the state are asking Gov. Schwarzenegger to sign Sen. Simitian’s SB 20. Read More ›
CFC’s Richard Holober is interviewed by Michael Finney of KGO Radio about SB 772 (Leno)
by Michael Finney, Consumer Talks, KGO- Radio
Richard Holober, Executive Director of the Consumer Federation of California gave a status update on SB 772 (Leno, D-San Francisco) which seeks to protect children from toxic baby products. Read More ›
State proposal would curb grocers’ self-checkout lanes
by Stephanie Hoops, Ventura County Star
A bill pulled from the state Senate last week leaves the door open for shoppers to continue buying alcohol at self-checkout lanes in grocery stores. AB 1060, which would have banned the practice…(and) was supported by the Consumer Federation of California.
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California bill would stop alcohol purchase at self-checkout
AB 1060 was seeking to ban grocery stores from permitting shoppers from purchasing alcoholic beverages in the self-checkout lanes now popular at many stores. The bill was supported by…the Consumer Federation of California. Read More ›
Playing with fire
by Wendi Jonassen, Sacramento News and Review
Senate Bill 772…would give manufacturers the option of forgoing toxic fire retardants, and give consumers the opportunity to purchase chemical-free furniture for their kids…But lobbying efforts by the chemical industry last week extinguished the bill’at least for the rest of this year.
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Davis representatives get high grades – Consumer group hopes to inform voters with grades
by ANA QUIROZ , California Aggie
The CFC scorecard can keep legislators mindful of their voting record when voting on numerous bills in a short period of time.
“The pace becomes frenzied,” says CFC’s Richard Holober. “Legislators begin voting on bills by the dozen, thus the scorecard is designed to let the public and the legislatures see how they are voting.” Read More ›
Cable companies seeking a new tax on satellite TV
by Marc Lifsher, Los Angeles Times
Cable’s effort to push through a satellite TV tax is known to Capitol insiders as a “gut and amend…”(these) bills are by definition an attempt to avoid public scrutiny,” said Richard Holober, director of the Consumer Federation of California. Read More ›
Bill to protect against unwanted subscription renewals passes
by Mike Rosenberg, Constra Costa Times
“(The bill) addresses a form of deceptive advertising that consumers can be lured into,” said Richard Holober, executive director of the Consumer Federation of California. Read More ›
Legislature Approves Bill to Help Stop Consumer Fraud
by California Political Desk, California Chronicle
The practice often occurs when a consumer thinks he/she is making a one-time purchase for a product…only to later receive additional shipments of the product and charges to his/her credit card. Read More ›
Protecting babies from fire and chemicals
by Wendi Jonassen, San Francisco Bay Guardian
Banning chemicals is hard to do. Richard Holober of the Consumer Federation of California says that the petrochemical industry will slightly alter a banned chemical, “sort of chasing one version after another.” Read More ›
‘Health issues’ led to Wiggins’ decision not to seek re-election
by DEREK J. MOORE, Press Democrat
The office of Senate president Darrell Steinberg…noted that last year she had received scorecards with 100 per cent positive ratings from the Sierra Club, California League of Conservation Voters, California Labor Federation, Planned Parenthood, National Organization for Women, American Cancer Society and the Consumer Federation of California. Read More ›