Unregulated for-profits receive big chunk of military spouse tuition aid
by Paul Fain , Inside Higher Ed
The Department of Defense spent $65 million last year on its tuition benefit program for military spouses. About 40 percent of that amount — $25.3 million — was used at for-profit colleges that operate outside the regulatory reach of the U.S. Department of Education and do not qualify for other federal financial aid programs. Read More ›
Katcho Achadjian lays out a game plan
by Bob Cuddy , San Luis Obispo Tribune
Like other interest groups – such as gun owners, property rights advocates and environmentalists – the Consumer Federation of California tracks legislation that affects its particular concerns. Read More ›
Protecting Consumers from Abusive Debt Collectors
by State Senator Mark Leno, California Progress Report
SB 890 is supported by the AFSCME (American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees), Consumer Federation of California, Consumers Union, Housing and Economic Rights Advocates, and various community legal, labor and civil rights organizations. It will be heard in the Assembly this spring. Read More ›
California attorney general seeks more mortgage protections
by Marc Lifsher, Los Angeles Times
Atty. Gen. Kamala D. Harris says the proposed California Homeowner Bill of Rights would help homeowners facing foreclosure and fix serious flaws in the system.
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PG&E customers should pay for pipeline improvements, company says
by Mike Taugher, Contra Costa Times
Pacific Gas & Electric continued to insist Tuesday that ratepayers pick up the bulk of the tab for upgrading its aging gas pipelines, though it did make a small concession by agreeing to pay for tests on some of its pipelines. Read More ›
Billionaire Insurance Baron Tries to Buy Off California Republican Party
by Brian Stedge-Stroud, Consumer Watchdog, California Progress Report
Consumer Watchdog Campaign and Consumer Federation of California were joined by Sharada Polavarapu, a San Francisco resident who relies solely on mass transit, to call on the Republican Party to oppose this ballot initiative as an attack on the middle class. Read More ›
Enforcement Chief at Postsecondary Bureau to Resign
by Jennifer Gollan, Bay Citizen
Newquist’s departure comes after The Bay Citizen revealed that the bureau had not fulfilled many of its fundamental oversight responsibilities, including aggressively investigating complaints, monitoring the quality of educational programs and rooting out unlicensed schools and diploma mills. Read More ›
New California Legislation Will Address Chemicals in Flame Retardants Found in Furniture
“Consumers shouldn’t have to worry about toxic ingredients in the products they buy, and manufacturers shouldn’t be forced to use toxic supplies to make their products meet regulatory guidelines,” states Richard Holober from the Consumer Federation of California. Read More ›
New Google Privacy Policy and Understanding “Do Not Track”
by Zack Kaldveer, CFC Communications Director, Privacy Revolt
The Do Not Track concept offers a glimpse of where the expected battle lines will likely be drawn: separating those that want privacy, and more control over their own data, versus those that want to profit off violating that privacy, and selling that data. Read More ›
Obama Administration Proposes Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights
by Zack Kaldveer, CFC Communications Director, Privacy Revolt
This rise in behavioral tracking has made it possible for consumer information to be potentially misused, increases the threat of identity theft, and is a fundamental violation of privacy. Read More ›
Calif. Bill Would Smoke Out Safety, End Use of Toxic Flame Retardants
by Ngoc Nguyen, New America Media
…tests by the furniture industry and then vetted by the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission show California’s present regulation does not prevent small flames from igniting furniture. Read More ›
Ontario’s Maglite wants ‘Made in USA’ label
by KIMBERLY PIERCEALL , Press Enterprise
Richard Holober, executive director of the Consumer Federation of California, opposes the bill because his group sees it as an opportunity to overturn a state Supreme Court decision in January 2011 that ruled consumers could claim harm was done if they were deceived into buying a product because it was purported to be ‘Made in the USA.’ Read More ›
Change in ‘Made in USA’ label debated
by Michael Gardner, San Diego Union Tribune
The labels are “beneficial to consumers who care where their products are made to have truthful information when determining what to buy,” Richard Holober, executive director of the Consumer Federation of California, said in an interview. “The federal law is weaker so we are better off not changing a good standard.” Read More ›