Category Archives: Legislative Updates
CFC supports AB 550, funding for Long-Term Care Ombudsman programs
AB 550 (Reyes) will increase funding for California’s 35 local Long-Term Care Ombudsman programs, the Department of Aging’s watchdog in long-term care facilities. Consisting of paid staff and certified volunteers, the Ombudsmen are a very cost-effective way to ensure California’s long-term care facilities properly care for our … Read More ›
CFC Opposes AB 380
CFC opposes AB 380 (Dababneh), which will make it easier for car dealers to engage in fraud and other predatory practices. Read more about the bill here. Read our opposition letter.
SB 648: Regulating Residential Care Referral Agencies
As the least-regulated long-term care facilities, RCFEs are easy targets for greedy referral agencies seeking to dump seniors in under-supervised environments. Some 7,800 RCFEs operate in California now, with roughly 175,000 beds available, and their numbers are expected to grow as the ranks of the elderly swell. Read More ›
Gender Pricing Discrimination – Democrats Team With Republicans To Stop SB 899 (Hueso)
Consumer Federation of California-sponsored SB 899 (Hueso), a bill that would have ended gender pricing discrimination, was stopped by Democrats and Republicans in today’s meeting of the Assembly Judiciary Committee. Senator Ben Hueso (D-San Diego) dropped SB 899 after it became apparent that a majority of the … Read More ›
AB 2688: Health ‘Privacy’ Bill Would Unleash Information Sharing
6/28 update: AB 2688 was approved in the Senate Judiciary Committee today. Voting in favor of the bill – and against consumers’ interests – were all of the panel’s Democrats: Chair Hannah-Beth Jackson and Senators Robert Hertzberg, Mark Leno, William Monning and Bob Wieckowski. The committee’s two Republicans, Vice … Read More ›
Wells Fargo Identity Theft Racket Inspired SB 33 (Dodd): Justice for Victims
October 4 Update: Jerry Brown signed SB 33 into law. The Consumer Federation of California is co-sponsoring legislation by State Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) inspired by Wells Fargo’s fraudulent creation of two million customer accounts. Senate Bill 33 will make sure that in the future, victims of … Read More ›
AB 2395: AT&T Wants To Disconnect Millions Of California Landlines
According to the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee, about 16.5 million traditional copper land lines remain in service in California. AT&T’s bill would create a pathway for phone companies to abandon residential land lines in 2020, even in areas where an adequate alternative phone option does not exist. While many consumers now have cell phones or IP phones as well as land lines, about 2.3 million Californians live in a home that only has a landline. AB 2395 will eliminate both customer choice and the current requirements for Carriers of Last Resort that ensure all Californians have access to reliable essential phone services. Read More ›
SB 899 (Hueso) To End Gender Bias In Prices Passes Senate Judiciary Committee
[CFC press release:] SB 899 (Hueso), the bill sponsored by Consumer Federation of California (CFC) to end gender-based discrimination in retail pricing in California, passed in the Senate Judiciary Committee today by a vote of 5-1. All Democrats were in favor, including Chair Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, and … Read More ›
CFC Sponsors SB 899 (Hueso) To End Gender Bias In Retail Prices
6/30 update: Senator Ben Hueso (D-San Diego) dropped SB 899 today after it became apparent that a majority of the Assembly Judiciary Committee would not support the bill unless he accepted amendments proposed by the committee’s leadership that would have eviscerated the bill. Women shouldn’t be charged … Read More ›
SB 215 Sustains Drive For CPUC Reforms Originally Sought In SB 660
1/27/2015 Update: The Senate approved SB 215 (Leno) in a 37-0 vote yesterday (with no votes recorded for Senators Bates, Liu and Wolk). The bill awaits committee action in the Assembly. SB 215 incorporates CPUC reforms CFC had sought in SB 660 (Leno), which had passed unanimously in both the Assembly … Read More ›
Consumer Laws Taking Effect In 2016
The following consumer-related legislation was signed into law in 2015 and will take effect January 1, 2016, except as noted. Read More ›
Consumer Federation Of California Releases 2015 Scorecard For State Lawmakers
The Consumer Federation of California (CFC) has released its 2015 Scorecard for State Legislators, which rates lawmakers on the votes they cast on key issues, including privacy, automobile safety, household toxics, truth in advertising, living wages, reform of the California Public Utilities Commission, and other consumer protection … Read More ›
2015 In Review: Recap Of State Consumer Legislation
In the 2015 legislative session, Consumer Federation of California (CFC) advocated for a range of consumer and privacy rights, including restrictions on unfair lending practices, protections against elder abuse, workers’ rights and the minimum wage, and reform of the California Public Utilities Commission. CFC also helped to … Read More ›