Consumer Federation of California

The Consumer Federation of California (CFC) is a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization founded in 1960. Its work focuses on representing consumer interests in California’s legislative, regulatory, and public-policy processes rather than selling consumer products or operating as a commercial brand. The organization advocates for laws and regulations intended to improve consumer safety, privacy, financial protection, access to justice, and accountability in markets that affect households. CFC’s policy agenda has included medical and financial privacy, protections against elder abuse, stronger food and product-safety rules, oversight of private for-profit colleges, the reduction of household toxins, action against false advertising and fraud, and improved access to civil justice. It has also addressed consumer issues in insurance, transportation, communications, digital services, health care, and residential care. The group directs individual complaints to appropriate government agencies or nonprofit organizations and publishes educational material intended to help members of the public understand their rights and available remedies. A significant part of CFC’s activity occurs through formal participation in government proceedings. It appears before the California State Legislature, supports or opposes bills, and intervenes in proceedings of the California Public Utilities Commission and the California Department of Insurance. Its insurance-related work has included rate proceedings involving major insurers and regulatory matters concerning group insurance sales, autonomous-vehicle insurance, aftermarket automobile parts, prior-approval standards, and usage-based auto insurance. CFC also publishes annual legislative scorecards that assess California state senators and Assembly members according to their voting records on consumer-rights legislation considered during the relevant legislative session. These scorecards are designed to inform voters and make elected officials’ positions on consumer issues more visible. In the 2015–2016 legislative period, CFC sponsored or supported measures addressing discriminatory pricing of gender-marketed products, licensing and privacy rules for residential-care referral agencies, passenger privacy for transportation network companies, mobile-device searches by law enforcement, and disclosure of toxic flame-retardant chemicals in juvenile products. It opposed or sought amendments to proposals involving secret recording of customer calls, the possible abandonment of copper landlines, and regulation of health and fitness applications and health-information websites. Outcomes varied: some measures were enacted, while others died in committee, remained in committee, or were vetoed. CFC’s consumer-focused positions have also generated criticism. Some business groups and conservative commentators have characterized the organization as anti-business, and certain proposals it supported were labeled “job killers” by the California Chamber of Commerce. These criticisms reflect a broader policy dispute over the costs and benefits of consumer regulation rather than a reported legal finding against the organization. CFC additionally sponsors the Consumer Federation of California Education Foundation, a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit intended to advance public-interest education. The organization is led by Executive Director Robert Herrell and President Richard Holober, according to the supplied reference material.

The Consumer Federation of California was founded in 1960 as a nonprofit organization dedicated to representing consumers in public-policy debates. Unlike a commercial consumer brand, CFC operates primarily through advocacy, research, education, legislative testimony, regulatory intervention, and referral of complaints. Its geographic emphasis is California, although the consumer issues it addresses often involve state and federal law or markets that extend beyond a single locality. Over time, CFC developed a broad policy portfolio. Its stated concerns have included medical and financial privacy, elder-abuse prevention, food and product safety, oversight of private for-profit colleges, household toxins, false advertising, fraud, and access to civil justice. The organization has also worked on insurance, telecommunications, transportation, digital privacy, health information, residential care, and other fields in which consumers may face information asymmetry or limited bargaining power. CFC’s legislative work includes sponsoring, supporting, and opposing bills in the California Legislature. It also publishes annual legislative scorecards that grade state senators and Assembly members according to the share of pro-consumer votes they cast on consumer-rights measures considered during the year. These publications serve both as public education and as an accountability mechanism for elected officials. The 2015–2016 legislative materials illustrate the range of the organization’s activities. CFC sponsored proposals concerning gender-based pricing of products, residential-care referral agencies, passenger privacy, and access by law enforcement to electronic-device information. It supported a proposal requiring disclosure of toxic flame-retardant chemicals in juvenile products. It opposed or sought changes to bills involving secret recording of customer conversations, the possible retirement of copper landlines, and the regulation of health and fitness applications and health-information websites. The outcomes included enactment, committee failure, continued committee consideration, and gubernatorial veto. A second major strand of CFC’s history is participation in administrative proceedings. The organization has intervened before the California Public Utilities Commission and taken part in California Department of Insurance hearings, workshops, and rulemaking. Its cited insurance work includes rate proceedings involving Safeco, Wawanesa, State Farm, California Capital, Farmers, Hartford, AIG, and Infinity. It has also addressed group insurance sales, autonomous-vehicle insurance, standards for repairs and aftermarket automobile parts, the scope of prior approval, and usage-based auto insurance. CFC’s consumer-oriented positions have sometimes been contested by business organizations and conservative commentators. Critics have accused it of an anti-business bias, while the California Chamber of Commerce has identified some measures supported by CFC as “job killers.” The supplied references describe this as a political and policy controversy, not as a substantiated scandal or legal judgment against CFC. The organization also sponsors the Consumer Federation of California Education Foundation, a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on public-interest education. Public reference material identifies Robert Herrell as executive director and Richard Holober as president. No reliable information was supplied about the organization’s current headquarters, budget, membership, incorporation details beyond its nonprofit status, or official website.

• 2016

  2015–2016 consumer-bill agenda

  [1]Consumer Federation of Californiaen.wikipedia.org

  CFC sponsored, supported, and opposed a range of California bills involving privacy, care referrals, product chemicals, telecommunications, and consumer data.

• 2015

  Privacy and insurance advocacy

  [2]California Legislative Information: Senate Bill 178leginfo.legislature.ca.gov

  CFC participated in insurance rulemaking and supported legislation requiring legal process for law-enforcement access to mobile-device contents.

• 2014

  Autonomous-vehicle insurance hearing

  [1]Consumer Federation of Californiaen.wikipedia.org

  CFC participated in a California Department of Insurance public hearing on insurance issues associated with autonomous vehicles.

• 2012

  Insurance repair and prior-approval proceedings

  [1]Consumer Federation of Californiaen.wikipedia.org

  CFC participated in California Department of Insurance activities concerning aftermarket automobile parts and the scope of prior approval.

• 2008

  Participation in usage-based auto-insurance rulemaking

  [1]Consumer Federation of Californiaen.wikipedia.org

  CFC participated in California Department of Insurance rulemaking concerning usage-based automobile insurance.

• 1960

  Organization founded

  [1]Consumer Federation of Californiaen.wikipedia.org

  The Consumer Federation of California was established as a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization.

A California-focused, nonprofit consumer-interest organization that combines legislative advocacy, administrative participation, public education, and complaint referral.

• Public policy publication

  Annual Legislative Scorecards

  Annual evaluations of California state legislators based on their voting records on consumer-rights bills considered during the legislative year. The scorecards are intended to help the public compare elected officials’ support for consumer-oriented measures.

• Public education

  Consumer education materials

  Educational resources explaining consumer issues, rights, policy proposals, and avenues for seeking assistance. CFC also directs complaints to appropriate government or nonprofit bodies when it is not the correct organization to handle an individual case.

• 2015Mobile-device privacy protections

  California

  CFC supported Senate Bill 178, which required a warrant or subpoena before a law-enforcement agency could access the contents of a cell phone.

  Outcome. The bill was enacted into law.

  Source
• 2015Consumer protection in residential-care referrals

  California

  CFC sponsored Senate Bill 648, which proposed licensing and disclosure requirements for referral agencies serving people seeking residential care, along with limits on control of clients’ property and personal information.

  Outcome. The governor vetoed the bill.

  Source
• 2015Passenger data privacy

  California

  CFC sponsored Assembly Bill 886, seeking limits on the collection of personally identifiable information by transportation network companies and providing for account termination controls.

  Outcome. The bill died in committee.

  Source
• 2015Juvenile-product flame-retardant disclosure

  California

  CFC supported Senate Bill 763, which would have required manufacturers of juvenile products to disclose whether products contained toxic flame-retardant chemicals.

  Outcome. The measure remained in the legislative process and was not identified in the supplied material as enacted.

  Source
• 2015Insurance consumer advocacy

  California

  CFC participated in insurer rate proceedings and Department of Insurance workshops concerning group insurance sales, automobile insurance practices, repairs, and emerging vehicle technologies.

  Outcome. The supplied material lists participation but does not provide a consolidated campaign outcome.

  Source

• 2016

  Opposition to selected consumer and communications billsOther

  Background

  CFC assessed proposed legislation involving call recording, copper landlines, and health-data applications against its privacy and consumer-protection objectives.

  Action taken

  It opposed Assembly Bills 925 and 2395 and opposed Assembly Bill 2688 unless amended.

  Aftermath

  The first two measures died, while the supplied material does not state the final outcome of AB 2688.

  Source

• 2015

  Support for Senate Bill 178Other

  Background

  CFC identified access to mobile-device information as a consumer privacy issue.

  Action taken

  The organization supported a requirement that law enforcement obtain a warrant or subpoena before accessing cell-phone contents.

  Aftermath

  The measure was enacted into law.

  Source

1. 1Consumer Federation of Californiaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2California Legislative Information: Senate Bill 178leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
3. 3California Legislative Information: Assembly Bill 886leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
4. 4California Legislative Information: Senate Bill 648leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
5. 5California Legislative Information: Senate Bill 763leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
6. 6California Legislative Information: Assembly Bill 925leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
7. 7California Legislative Information: Assembly Bill 2395leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
8. 8California Legislative Information: Assembly Bill 2688leginfo.legislature.ca.gov