Consumer Protection

Caps public insurance adjuster fees at 15% of insurance payouts during disasters and emergencies. Prohibits adjusters from soliciting clients during active disasters or between 6 PM and 8 AM. Extends contract cancellation period to 5 days for disaster victims. Requires detailed written contracts specifying services and fees for property insurance claims.

Delays new motor vehicle warranty dispute procedures from April 1 to July 1, 2025. Allows vehicle manufacturers to opt in to specific consumer protection procedures for five-year periods. Requires consumers to notify potential buyers of pending warranty claims before selling disputed vehicles. Mandates the Department of Consumer Affairs to publish annual lists of manufacturers following these procedures.

Expands the legal definition of beer to include fermentation with any grain type, not just barley and malt. Permits brewers to use honey, fruits, herbs, and spices as additional ingredients in beer production. Clarifies that beer aged in used wine or spirit barrels remains classified solely as beer. Requires the use of drinkable water in the beer fermentation process.

Expands online disclosure requirements for licensed professionals to include hydrolysis and funeral facilities. Requires fingerprinting for State Board of Chiropractic Examiners license applicants to enhance public safety. Updates distance education rules to focus on faculty-student location separation rather than institution location. Streamlines licensing fees and requirements across multiple professional boards and educational institutions.

Requires veterinarians seeking license reinstatement to submit fingerprints for criminal background checks. Mandates a three-year waiting period before applying for reinstatement of a revoked veterinary license. Initiates a comprehensive review of the California Veterinary Medical Board's effectiveness.

Prohibits the sale of charged-off consumer debt after one year from the charge-off date. Requires creditors to notify consumers when their debt is sold to a debt buyer. Limits debt buyers to one year after charge-off to take legal action for debt collection. Mandates creditors to pursue debt collection within 90 days of charging off the debt.

Requires car rental companies and third parties to disclose total rental costs including all taxes and fees upfront. Mandates clear display of mileage conditions and additional charges in all rental car advertisements. Prohibits charging fees for rental periods before vehicle delivery or after pickup at non-business locations. Restricts additional driver fees for family members and coworkers of the primary renter.

Increases the maximum document processing fee that car dealers can charge to up to $500 or 1% of vehicle price. Maintains existing fee caps of $85 for DMV partner dealers and $70 for other dealers as minimum thresholds. Requires document processing charges to be clearly disclosed as dealer fees rather than government fees. Restricts electronic filing charges to actual costs charged by authorized service providers.

Modernizes contract cancellation methods by allowing consumers to cancel via email or phone call instead of only written notice. Extends cancellation periods to 5 business days for senior citizens on home improvement and solicitation contracts. Requires contractors to include their email address on contracts for receiving cancellation notices. Mandates clear disclosure of cancellation rights in contracts with specific formatting requirements.

Exempts businesses from privacy laws when collecting personal data for commercial purposes. Allows companies to intercept communications if consumers have opt-out rights. Blocks consumers from suing companies over data collection done for business purposes. Applies retroactively to all pending cases as of January 1, 2026.

Makes technical changes to provisions regarding removal of licensing board members.

Doubles the maximum penalty to $5,000 for ticket sellers who violate state business address requirements. Authorizes county counsel to pursue civil actions against violating ticket sellers. Requires ticket sellers to maintain and advertise a permanent business address for all sales.

Expands tax preparer registration exemptions to include licensed accountants and their firms starting January 2025. Requires exempt employees' tax returns to be reviewed and signed by qualified supervisors. Clarifies that tax return preparation includes computer data entry activities.

Doubles the amount of spirits craft distillers can sell to consumers from 2.25 to 4.5 liters per day. Authorizes winegrowers to store and age brandy on their premises. Maintains existing production limit of 150,000 gallons per year for craft distillers.

Expands privacy protections by allowing courts to issue restraining orders against unauthorized use of personal likenesses. Requires violators to comply with court orders within two business days of being served. Mandates damages of $750 or actual losses plus profits for unauthorized use of personal identifiers. Exempts news broadcasts, political campaigns, and incidental employee photos from consent requirements.

Establishes new consumer protections against deceptive auto sales practices and unnecessary add-on charges. Requires dealers to provide used car buyers a 10-day cancellation period with full refund rights. Mandates clear disclosures of vehicle prices, monthly payment totals, and optional add-on products. Requires dealers to maintain detailed sales records for 7 years to demonstrate compliance.

Requires ticket sellers and resellers to be licensed and verify ownership before selling event tickets. Mandates full refunds within 30 days for canceled events and optional refunds for rescheduled events. Prohibits deceptive website designs and automated ticket-buying software that circumvents purchase limits. Imposes penalties up to $10,000 per violation and requires disclosure of original ticket face value.

Requires California to accept digital financial assets as payment for state-mandated fees and transactions. Mandates the Department of Financial Protection to create regulations for accepting cryptocurrency payments. Requires a detailed report by January 2027 on cryptocurrency transaction data and implementation challenges. Recommends expanding digital asset payments to other state agencies based on initial implementation.

Expands debt settlement protections to include commercial financing recipients who borrow up to $500,000. Requires debt settlement providers to give detailed disclosures and monthly account statements to all clients. Mandates a 3-day review period before contracts can be signed and allows cancellation without penalties. Authorizes legal action with damages up to $5,000 per violation plus attorney fees for illegal practices.

Increases the maximum annual insulation manufacturing license fee from $2,500 to $2,600 in California. Maintains the minimum license fee at $1,850 while expanding the bureau's fee-setting range. Affects all insulation manufacturers licensed by the Bureau of Household Goods and Services.

Expands California's consumer financial protection laws to shield small businesses from predatory lending practices. Requires commercial financing providers to register with state regulators by January 2027. Prohibits lenders from taking confession of judgment or garnishing business accounts before default. Mandates commercial financing brokers to publicly display their average and maximum annual interest rates.

Bans the sale of seven common consumer products containing PFAS chemicals starting January 1, 2027. Authorizes regulators to ban additional product categories when safer alternatives are available at similar costs. Exempts medical devices, pesticides, and products containing essential fluoropolymers from the restrictions. Requires an 18-month transition period before new product bans can take effect.

Expands California's privacy law to cover local government agencies previously exempt from data protection rules. Requires agencies to notify residents promptly when their personal data is breached or compromised. Makes both intentional and negligent privacy violations by government employees grounds for termination. Criminalizes unauthorized disclosure of medical records regardless of whether harm occurred.

Revises rental car theft liability rules by removing the clear and convincing evidence requirement for rental companies. Limits rental companies' theft loss recovery to the renter's insurance coverage limits. Requires renters to return ignition keys and file police reports within 24 hours to avoid theft liability. Caps renter liability for non-theft related vandalism at $500.

Prohibits credit agencies from reporting property sales caused by wildfire damage in declared emergency areas. Prevents lenders from using wildfire-related property sales as a negative factor in credit decisions. Applies to properties damaged beyond repair by wildfires occurring after January 7, 2025.