Consumer Federation of California

CFC Continues Record of Leadership; Now Governor Must Act

For Immediate Release || Thursday, September 18, 2026

Sacramento, CA — The Consumer Federation of California (CFC) supported, sponsored or co-sponsored seven strong pro-consumer bills to Governor Newsom this year, many with strong bipartisan support, and urges Governor Newsom to sign all seven.

“California must step up and lead the way on consumer protection, especially now that the Trump Administration is actively hostile to consumers in so many ways,” stated CFC Executive Director Robert Herrell. “These seven bills are a road map for California to keep consumers from getting scammed, ripped off and taken advantage of. We urge Governor Newsom to sign each of these bills and continue our important work to protect consumers in these challenging times.” Here is a summary of the seven CFC bills on the Governor’s desk:

STRENGTHENING REGULATORY CONSUMER PROTECTIONS ENFORCEMENT — As the federal government withdraws from consumer protection and instead is hostile to consumer rights, CFC co-sponsored Senate Bill 825 by Senators Monique Limón (D – Santa Barbara) and Tim Grayson (D – Concord). The bill clarifies the authority of the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI), to fully enforce California’s consumer financial protection laws. 

TACKLING JUNK/HIDDEN FEES AND DECEPTIVE PRACTICES — CFC continued its efforts to combat deceptive practices across various business sectors, to provide transparency and tackle hidden fees that hurt consumer’s pocketbooks. 

SB 766 (Allen) Combating Auto Retail Scams (CARS) Act —  A significant advancement for consumers when purchasing a vehicle, this bill makes buying a new or used vehicle in California more affordable and less risky for consumers. The bill includes a first-in-the-nation policy to provide consumers a three-day cooling off period for used cars. SB 766 also allows consumers to return faulty vehicles, improve car pricing transparency, and prohibit unnecessary and costly add-ons to their cars. 

AB 1374 (Berman) Rental Car Pricing Transparency — Enhances consumer transparency when shopping for a rental car (whether directly from a rental car company or when using a third-party website such as Priceline or Booking or others). Tells you the true full price of a car rental once a consumer provides rental location, dates and types of vehicle. A Spring 2025 CFC Secret-Shopper investigation found that some rental car companies hid the total cost of a rental car, with the price rising by more than $100 overall for a sample four-day rental.

SB 709 (Menjivar) Self-Service Storage Facilities — Adds consumer transparency to the self-storage industry, notorious for bait and switch practices, by requiring facilities to clearly disclose to consumers key information, including the maximum rate a tenant could face over the next year. 

EXPANDING CONSUMER LEGAL PROTECTIONS — Consumers are constantly forced into arbitration if they are ripped off. These clauses are hidden and often reach into unrelated products or services. CFC co-sponsored Senate Bill 82 by Senator Tom Umberg (D – Santa Ana) which limits forced arbitration clauses to only the specific product or service covered.

HOLDING SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS ACCOUNTABLE — 

SB 771 (Stern) Social Media Accountability — Enhances penalties for social media companies when they break current law and put online hate on steroids. 

CFC builds on our 2024 law allowing consumers to “click/call to cancel” without a hassle for online renewals by sponsoring in 2025 Assembly Bill 656 by Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo (D – Santa Clarita). Social media platforms deliberately make it all-but impossible for consumers to delete their accounts. This bill allows consumers to easily delete their social media accounts and personal data.

Governor Newsom has until Monday, October 13th to take action on these bills. 

About Consumer Federation of California The Consumer Federation of California is a nonprofit advocacy organization that, since 1960, has been a powerful voice for consumer rights. CFC campaigns for laws and regulations that place consumer protection ahead of corporate profit, either in front of the California Legislature or before state agencies in support of consumer regulations. 

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Tags: Auto, California, legislation