Tony Mendoza, Sen. Ellen Corbett get into ruckus in committee hearing
“Instead of increasing maximum loan amounts, legitimizing Internet payday lending and offering unattractive re-payment plans, California should embrace the growing national consensus that predatory payday lending practices must be reined…” stated Consumer Federation of California… Read More ›
Committee Successful in Labeling BPA Threat to Reproductive Health
by Jill Replogle , California Progress Report
The bill is…supported by the California League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, Planned Parenthood, Consumers Union, and Consumer Federation of California… Read More ›
Fact Sheet: Repeal the “Secret” Corporate Tax Loopholes!
by Lenny Goldberg, California Tax Reform Association
…this proposed initiative repeals the three new corporate loopholes which were the secretly included in the failed budget deals of September 2008 and February 2009. None have yet taken effect, so the initiative would prevent over $2 billion yearly in future revenue losses. Read More ›
Leaked Industry Memo Prompts Warning on Hormones
by Dan Aiello , California Progress Report
Consumer Federation of California reported last week on a new finding that BPA is linked to heart disease in women. Allayaud said the concern is especially great for pregnant women and nursing mothers…
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Unprecedented hike in workers’ comp insurance rates is unnecessary
by Todd McFarren, Capitol Weekly
…the California Labor Federation, the Consumer Federation of California, VotersInjuredatWork.org, the California Society for Industrial Medicine & Surgery, and Assemblymember Dave Jones oppose the insurance industry’s proposed 23 percent increase for workers compensation insurance.
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Listen to CFC’s Zack Kaldveer Interviewed Live by ABC TV’s Michael Finney
by Michael Finney, ABC News and KGO Radio
CFC’s Zack Kaldveer speaks with ABC News reporter Michael Finney about the unregulated, for profit, private post secondary vocational educational industry. Read More ›
Environmentalists rally to save OEHHA
by Malcolm Maclachlan, Capitol Weekly
One Wednesday, the Senate Environmental Quality Committee voted 3-2 along party lines in favor of an alternative plan to save the OEHHA by tapping other funds. Committee staff will now begin drafting a trailer bill to put the plan into legislation.
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Budget Cuts are a Bonanza for Toxic Chemical Industries
by Richard Holober, Consumer Federation of California, Capitol Weekly
Sacramento is in the grip of budget cuts that will harm programs that serve tens of millions of Californians. One agency slated for destruction protects Californians from toxic exposures. If eliminated, the result could be increased rates of cancer, neurologic and reproductive damage… Read More ›
Obama Administration Waffles in ‘Defense’ of California’s Financial Privacy Law
by Zack Kaldveer, Consumer Federation of California, California Progress Report
While it should be noted that the Obama Administration’s position is an improvement over that taken by President Bush – who was actively supporting the banks appeal, arguing that California should not be permitted to regulate banks’ privacy practices – this brief does not translate into a victory for privacy advocates. Read More ›
State privacy law not hurting banks, feds say
by Bob Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle
“California’s law is a model for the nation and provides consumers much more control of their personal financial information than does federal law,” said Richard Holober, executive director of the Consumer Federation of California. Read More ›
State Senate Votes to Ban Toxic Flame Retardants from Children’s Furniture
A coalition of concerned mothers, firefighters, environmentalists, public health experts and consumer groups are one step closer to winning a landmark victory for children’s health with the State Senate’s approval last evening of SB 772 (Leno). Read More ›
Firing Groundskeepers Won’t Fix The Budget Mess
by Richard Holober, Consumer Federation of California, California Progress Report
The Governor failed to mention the $2.5 billion in permanent tax cuts that he and lawmakers lavished on profitable corporations in the 2008-2009 budget deals at a time they were raising taxes on workers and consumers and slashing funding to schools, transit and health clinics. Read More ›
Firing school custodians won’t fix the budget mess
by Richard Holober, Executive Director, Consumer Federation of California
While lawmakers grapple with the imminent crisis, we must plan for long term solutions to the structural budget shortfall. Tax justice demands that wealthy businesses pay their fair share before we further decimate our schools and hospitals. Read More ›