Give now to support the Consumer Federation of California this Giving Tuesday
Help protect consumers on #GivingTuesday by giving generously to the Consumer Federation of California (CFC)!
CFC thanks YOU for all you do to help us help consumers. Today is a national day of generosity, #GivingTuesday. It’s a day when you can make a big impact on CFC’s advocacy and consumer rights enhancement efforts in California.
For over 60 years, CFC has been a powerful voice for consumer rights. We campaign for state and federal laws that place consumer protection ahead of corporate profit. We testify before the California Legislature on dozens of bills that affect tens of millions of our state’s consumers. We also appear before state agencies and departments to support and create strong consumer protection regulations. CFC is a non-profit organization that relies on donations from our members and supporters to further our work fighting for you! Help protect consumers on #GivingTuesday by giving generously to the Consumer Federation of California (CFC)! CFC thanks YOU for all you do to help us help consumers. Today is a national day of generosity, #GivingTuesday. It's a day when you can make a big impact on CFC’s advocacy and consumer rights enhancement efforts in California. For over 60 years, CFC has been a powerful voice for consumer rights. We campaign for state and federal laws that place consumer protection ahead of corporate profit. We testify before the California Legislature on dozens of bills that affect tens of millions of our state’s consumers. We also appear before state agencies and departments to support and create strong consumer protection regulations. CFC is a non-profit organization that relies on donations from our members and supporters to further our work fighting for you!
Donate $50 today! Donate $100 today! Donate $150 today! Donate $250 today! Donate another amount!
With your support, CFC had a very successful 2023, taking the lead on key consumer bills signed by CA Governor Newsom that are setting a national standard. CFC also advocated for dozens of consumers and economic justice bills in 2023. Here’s more on five key CFC-led bills that are now law:
Driving Consumer Privacy
SB 296, authored by Senator Bill Dodd, gives consumers more say over what happens to their data captured by cameras inside the cabin of their vehicle. It protects consumers by requiring that they be informed if an in-cabin camera is in a car and prohibits video recordings from that camera from being used for advertising or sold to third parties. In 2022 a similar CFC bill was vetoed by Governor Newsom, so this is a hard-fought common-sense consumer victory.
Regulating and Licensing Crypto
Senate Bill 401 (Monique Limón and Toni Atkins) will regulate and cap consumer fees for so-called “crypto kiosks.” Crypto kiosks are far too commonly associated with criminal activity and fraud and consumers (especially those in low-and-moderate income communities) are regularly ripped off by these machines.
AB 39 (Tim Grayson) will license and regulate crypto companies in California, providing groundbreaking consumer protections and guardrails for acceptable industry behavior. No more “wild west” without rules where key crypto companies are run by convicted felons (like Sam Bankman-Fried of bankrupt FTX) or those evading international law enforcement (like Changpeng Zhao of Binance). This bill was also vetoed in 2022, so another big win for CFC!
Cracking Down on Junk Fees Plaguing Small Businesses
SB 666 (Dave Min) limits and removes certain junk fees that small businesses face when seeking financing. The new law will ban certain fees related to ACH transactions, pay-off statements, and other up-front fees that often deceive small businesses. It also limits collateral monitoring fees and caps certain fees related to business filings, since in some cases a filing costing just a few dollars is marked up by outrageous amounts.
Uncovering Junk and Hidden Fees for Hotel and Airbnb Stays
AB 537 (Marc Berman) stops hotels, motels, Airbnbs and VRBOs from hiding the true cost of their products and services. The bill makes it illegal for lodging establishments to advertise or offer a room rate that does not include all fees and taxes required once potential dates of a stay are provided. This bill enhances California’s False Advertising law and will help the more than 80% of travelers who research and comparison shop online.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
- Make a gift to CFC as part of #GivingTuesday and donate as much as you can!
- Click on the DONATE button. (If you prefer the old-fashioned way then write a check to the Consumer Federation of California and send it to 1225 8th Street, Suite 470, Sacramento, CA 95814).
- Sign up to receive CFC email updates and newsletters.
Our work cannot happen without your support. CFC takes on the tough fights against the rich and powerful that must be waged - pitting us against some of the wealthiest special interests in California and the nation. To do that effectively we rely on your generosity to ensure that consumer voices are heard. Your gift to CFC will ensure that we continue this work. As always, on behalf of our small but hard-working CFC team, thank you for your support!
Sincerely, Robert Herrell Executive Director