Anti-Consumer Actions By Governor

Just so you know, the Governor vetoed several pro-consumer bills, including one prohibiting retailers from selling out-of-date baby food and medicine, and another requiring financial institutions to tell you if your identity has been stolen.  He also signed several anti-consumer bills.

From the Consumer Federation of California:

"Pro" Consumer Bills Vetoed by the Governor

AB 1512 (Lieu) - would have prohibited a retailer from selling baby food, infant formula, and over the counter medicine after the "use by" date on its packaging. Citing the need for the bill, CFC stated, "California consumers should have the right to purchase medications that are safe and effective and parents and children deserve assurances that their baby food is nutritional and healthy."

SB 20 (Simitian) - would have required financial privacy security breach notices to inform potential victims of identity theft about the nature of the beach, and to include contact information for credit reporting agencies.

AB 943 (Mendoza) - would have prohibited a prospective employer from using consumer credit reports in the hiring process unless the report is related to job duties.

AB 261 (Salas) - would have clarified that California students' privacy rights allow limited access to student records by law enforcement and election officials to further juvenile justice and voter registration.

AB 811 (John Perez) - would have prohibited check-cashers from manufacturing and selling false identification cards, or identification cards that closely resemble a state drivers' license card.

"Anti" Consumer Bills Signed by the Governor

AB 48 (Portantino) - will reinstate responsibility for oversight of for-profit post-secondary educational institutions to an agency unsuited for the task, and would establish standards that would permit fraud on students.

AB 1200 (Hayashi) - weakens California's "anti-steering" law by allowing automobile insurance companies to persuade policy holders who have chosen a repair shop to switch to a shop that may use inferior parts or procedures.

SB 98 (Calderon) - Regulates life settlement industry, but requires biased disclosures that do not inform insurance policy holders that they may have better alternatives to surrendering a policy or allowing a life insurance policy to lapse.