Consumer Federation of California

Gets top grade for votes on issues including food safety, healthcare reform.

SACRAMENTO-The Consumer Federation of California (CFC) announced
yesterday that Assemblywoman Lois Wolk (D-Davis) earned 100 percent on
its 2007 Consumer Scorecard for State Lawmakers, which grades
legislators for their votes on consumer rights and safety legislation.

"This is a great honor," said Wolk. "This state owes a great debt to
groups like the Consumer Federation for their vigilant defense of our
consumer rights. They work to ensure the safety of our food, the
protection of our financial information, issues that touch all of our
lives."

The CFC, a nonprofit that has advocated for stronger laws and
regulations on consumer rights since 1960, graded key votes on issues
such as truth in advertising, health care reform, consumer product
safety standards, and cell phone consumer protections. Average scores
were 60 percent in the Senate and 61 percent in the Assembly.

"The scorecard should help Californians evaluate how their lawmakers
voted on consumer protection bills that affect our pocketbooks but get
little news coverage," said CFC Executive Director Richard Holober.

Included in the scorecard were two bills coauthored by Wolk: SB 250
(Corbett) to enable consumers to redeem gift certificates for cash if
the certificate’s value is less than $10, and AB 583 (Hancock), the
California Clean Money and Fair Elections Act, which would reduce the
influence of money and special interests in politics by providing a
public financing option for candidates who have demonstrated a
sufficient base of support.

SB 250 was signed into law by the Governor. AB 583 was passed by the Assembly and is pending action.