Consumer Watchdog

Newsom Aims To Phase Out New Hydraulic Fracking Permits In California By 2024

By Janet Wilson, THE DESERT SUN

September 24, 2020

https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2020/09/23/newsom-aims…

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday vowed to work with the state legislature to phase out new permits for hydraulic fracking by 2024, but left untouched a more widely used oil extraction technique in the state that has been linked to hundreds of oil spills.

California Ban On Fracking By 2024 Criticized As Too Late

By Don Thompson, ASSOCIATED PRESS

September 23, 2020

https://apnews.com/article/legislature-climate-hydraulic-fracturing-env…

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom moved Wednesday to end issuing new hydraulic fracturing permits by 2024, a delay criticized by many environmental groups but characterized as legally and politically realistic by another.

Prop 24 Seemingly Seeks To Expand Internet Privacy, Critics Say It Won't

By Angelica Cabral, THE CALIFORNIAN

September 8, 2020

https://www.thecalifornian.com/story/news/2020/09/08/proposition-24-centers-internet-privacy/5739293002/#

Editor's note: This is the fourth in a series of four articles highlighting notable ballot propositions. The other propositions The Californian covered were 17, 21 and 22. 

Proposition 24 is a bit confusing.

If Cali. Gov. Newsom Wants To Cut Back On Oil And Fracking, Why Are New Drilling Permits Up 190% In Past 6 Months?

As the California Resources Corporation and other oil companies filed for bankruptcy and COVID-19 cases shattered California daily records in the second quarter of 2020, oil regulators under Governor Gavin Newsom also shattered records for dispensing new oil and gas production well drilling permits, Consumer Watchdog and FracTracker Alliance said in a report released today.

By Dan Bacher, RED GREEN & BLUE

September 3, 2020

WELL, WELL, WELL

By Colby Bermel, POLITICO PRO CALIFORNIA

September 2, 2020

WELL, WELL, WELL: New oil and gas production drilling permit approvals are up 190 percent in the first half of 2020 compared to the same period last year, according to a Consumer Watchdog and FracTracker Alliance report provided to POLITICO.

State Senator Questions Medical Board About Its Handling Of Bakersfield Doctor After Patient Deaths

By Kerry Klein, KVPR NPR Bakersfield, CA

September 1, 2020

https://www.kvpr.org/post/state-senator-questions-medical-board-about-i…

A San Joaquin Valley legislator is seeking answers from the Medical Board of California as to why the oversight agency allowed a Bakersfield doctor to remain in practice even though it determined he had been negligent with patients.

Andrew Yang Takes Lead Role In California Data Privacy Campaign

By Katy Murphy, POLITICO

August 31, 2020

https://www.politico.com/states/california/story/2020/08/31/andrew-yang…

SACRAMENTO — Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang is throwing his weight behind California’s November data privacy ballot measure — not just endorsing the initiative but chairing its advisory board, the Proposition 24 campaign announced Monday. 

OC Family On The Hook For $4,400 Bill Claiming They Used Equivalent Of 50 Swimming Pools’ Worth Of Water

By KCBS LA Staff, KCBS TV-2 Los Angeles, CA

August 24, 2020

Click here to view the video of this story: https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2020/08/24/garden-grove-orange-county-w…

GARDEN GROVE (CBSLA) – The Do family lives in a modest single-family home in Orange County.

State Insurance Commissioner, Advocacy Group Reverse Opposition To Wildfire Bill Following Amendments

By Jeff McDonald, SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE

August 21, 2020

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/story/2020-08-21/sta…

California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and the Los Angeles advocacy group Consumer Watchdog issued separate statements Friday announcing they no longer opposed a wildfire-insurance bill.

Lawsuit: Zoom Lied About Security Measures, End-to-End Encryption

By Ryan J. Farrick, LEGAL READER

August 14, 2020

https://www.legalreader.com/lawsuit-zoom-lied-security-measures-end-to-…

The lawsuit claims that Zoom never had end-to-end encryption, despite it telling customers that it did. 

Zoom is facing another lawsuit alleging that the video communications company has deceived consumers by making false claims about its privacy measures.

Zoom Faces More Legal Challenges Over End-to-End Encryption

By Tara Seals, THREATPOST

August 13, 2020

https://threatpost.com/zoom-legal-challenges-end-to-end-encryption/1583…

The video-conferencing specialist has yet to roll out full encryption, but it says it’s working on it. 

Video-conferencing behemoth Zoom has been hit with yet another lawsuit stemming from its claim to offer end-to-end encryption for sessions.

California Bill Addressing Property Rates in Wildfire-Prone Areas Awaits Hearing

By Don Jergler, INSURANCE JOURNAL

August 11, 2020

https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/west/2020/08/11/578753.htm

The stage has been set for a major battle over a California bill due to be heard in the next few weeks in a key committee that opponents say is a direct attack on insurance consumer protections and proponents say is the best way to make insurance more available in an increasingly wildfire-prone state.

Op-Ed Commentary: California State Legislators Use Coronavirus As An Excuse To Hijack Democratic Process

By Harvey Rosenfield, SPECIAL TO THE SACRAMENTO BEE

August 11, 2020

https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/article244870462.html

Three democratic procedures safeguard Californians against hasty and dangerous actions by the California State Legislature:

▪ Every bill gets a legislative hearing.

▪ Committee staff provides an impartial analysis of each bill.

▪ Members of the public are heard. 

Zoom Sued for Misleading Consumers on Data Security Practices

By Andrea Vittorio, BLOOMBERG LAW

August 11, 2020

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/privacy-and-data-security/zoom-sued-for-m…

Zoom Video Communications Inc. allegedly misrepresented the level of security used to protect communications on its platform, giving users “a false sense of security” and violating D.C.'s consumer protection law, according to a new lawsuit filed there.

The All-Star Economic Task Force Advising Newsom During The Pandemic Remains A Mystery

By Phil Willon, LOS ANGELES TIMES

August 10, 2020

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-08-10/newsom-coronavirus-…

SACRAMENTO —  Faced with a pandemic that has put millions of Californians out of work and eviscerated businesses large and small, Gov. Gavin Newsom promised that “health and science” would guide state officials in repairing the economy and steering it toward recovery.

Homeowners’ Insurance In Wildfire Areas: Industry, Consumer Groups Battle Over Rate Boost

By Kathleen Pender, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

August 8, 2020

https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/networth/article/Homeowners-insura…

Nearing the end of their legislative session and the beginning of wildfire season, state lawmakers are pushing through an industry-backed homeowners' insurance bill despite fierce opposition from consumer groups and California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara.

Op-Ed: Legislators Scheming With Insurance Companies To Raise Rates

With Californians in COVID lockdown, industry lobbyists are working to overturn voter-approved consumer protections

Op-Ed Commentary by Harvey Rosenfield

August 2, 2020

https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/08/02/opinion-legislators-scheming-wit…

State lawmakers are preparing a gift for you: a massive increase in the premiums you pay to insure your home and property.

What’s In A Name? Everything, Unhappy California Initiative Backers Say As They Sue State

By John Wildermuth, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

August 2, 2020

https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/What-s-in-a-name-Everythin…

Campaigns in four of the 12 initiative measures in California’s November election have sued state Attorney General Xavier Becerra, charging that his office wasn’t fair and neutral when it prepared the titles and summaries that will appear on the ballot.

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