SB 556 holds government agencies responsible when subcontracted workers appear to be their employees (2-year bill)
CFC, California Professional Firefighters, and California Labor Federation are co-sponsoring the bill, which will hold government agencies responsible when subcontracted workers appear to be their employees. Read More ›
Report: California leads country in April home prices growth
by Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times
Home prices in California shot upward in April, leading the nation in growth as the Southern California and Bay Area markets remained red hot, according to a new report. Read More ›
Tell Committee members: Reject AB 844, which destroys credit card privacy
On Wednesday, July 3, the Senate Banking and Financial Institutions Committee will vote on anti-privacy bill AB 844 (Dickinson). AB 844 is being touted as a bill to protect consumers’ personal information for online credit card purchases, with claims it will better protect consumers’ privacy by safeguarding … Read More ›
U.S. Supreme Court sides with American Express in lawsuit over forced arbitration
by Jessica M. Karmasek, Legal Newsline Legal Journal
The U.S. Supreme Court said corporations can force arbitration on small businesses and individuals, even when proven that the forced arbitration clause is too costly or inherently unfair. Read More ›
When caller ID gets spoofed
by David Lazarus, Los Angeles Times
The goal of spoofing is to trick people into picking up the phone when their caller ID shows an innocuous name or number. Apparently, it’s legal. Read More ›
Auto insurance in California costs less than it did 25 years ago
by Harvey Rosenfield and Carmen Balber, Consumer Watchdog
Californians spent less on auto insurance in 2010 than they did in 1989, a rate reduction that no other state in the nation achieved according to a new analysis of insurance industry data. Read More ›
Assembly, in a reversal, votes to preserve public records law
by Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times
The Assembly voted to maintain a mandate that local governments provide public documents upon request, but some lawmakers criticized the move as embarrassing and political theater. Read More ›
Salary Surfer, California community college website, approximates earning potential
by Sarah Rohrs, Huffington Post
New “Salary Surfer” website allows students to search earnings by area of study. Read More ›
AB 844: Trojan Horse that would have destroyed credit card privacy protections
The bill was hijacked by retail industry lobbyists and amendments turned AB 844 into a vehicle to eliminate privacy protections for credit card transactions at brick-and-mortar businesses. The author held the bill until 2014, and has reaffirmed his commitment to work with us to restore it as a pro-privacy bill.
Cyber attacks on the rise as credit, debit card numbers become commodities
by Claudia Buck, Sacramento Bee
For consumers, the best precaution is simple: Routinely check your monthly credit card and bank statements for suspicious charges. Read More ›
Aetna will exit California’s individual health insurance market
by Chad Terhune, Los Angeles Times
Aetna said it would stop selling individual health insurance policies in California next month, and nearly 50,000 existing policyholders will have to find new coverage by January. Read More ›
What’s in the budget?
by David Siders, Sacramento Bee
Highlights of the proposed state budget that begins July 1. Lawmakers approved the measures and Governor Brown has 12 days to act after receiving the bills. Read More ›
Debit card overdrafts can cost you big bucks
by Chris Fichera , Consumer Reports
U.S. banks bring in nearly $30 billion in fees every year from overdraft programs and non-sufficient fund charges, according to a new report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Read More ›