News Releases

Ballot Initiative Would Overhaul Open Records Laws to Provide Greater Government Transparency & Accountability

August 2, 2023  ·  Jerry Flanagan

70% of CA Voters Approve of the Measure According to a Recent Poll Los Angeles, CA – Embracing the principle that “sunshine is the best...

Court Denies CVS’s Motion To Escape Discrimination Lawsuit Brought By HIV-Positive “John Doe” Plaintiffs

July 31, 2023  ·  Jerry Flanagan

San Francisco, CA – Late Friday a federal court in San Francisco allowed a case brought by HIV-positive “John Doe” plaintiffs against CVS to proceed,...

Prominent Public Interest Groups Support Consumer Watchdog Petition To CA Supreme Court To Require State Agencies To Enforce Strict Rule On Radioactive Debris Disposal From Santa Susana Site

July 18, 2023  ·  Liza Tucker

Supreme Court Action Needed To Protect Hundreds Of Thousands Of Californians From Harm Los Angeles, CA—Public interest groups filed amicus letters with the California Supreme...

Allstate’s $16M Homeowners Rate Hike Approved Despite Company Secretly Ending Sales of New Home Insurance in California 

June 13, 2023  ·  Harvey Rosenfield

Los Angeles, CA — Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara yesterday approved a 4%, $16 million, rate hike on Allstate home insurance policyholders, despite the fact that...

Insurance Commissioner Lara Must Use Prop 103 Authority to Reverse State Farm’s Pullback 

May 30, 2023  ·  Harvey Rosenfield

Los Angeles, CA — State Farm’s announcement on Friday that it would immediately stop selling homeowners insurance to new customers in California is unlawful under...

Wildfire is Latest Battleground in 35 Year Fight over Prop 103

May 10, 2023  ·  Harvey Rosenfield

Consumer Watchdog Proposes Actions to Address Climate Change and Industry Abuses  Sacramento, CA – Thirty-five years after California voters passed Proposition 103 to protect themselves against...

Public Interest Groups Take On Newsom Administration Over Backtracking On Cleanup Of Radioactivity At Santa Susana Site, Case To Be Heard On Monday

April 13, 2023  ·  Liza Tucker

In an appeal before the Court of Appeal in Sacramento to be heard on Monday, the Newsom Administration will be challenged over positions that breach a longstanding agreement to require all radioactive waste from the Santa Susana Field Lab be disposed of at sites licensed and designed for such waste.

Commissioner Lara Approves Over $1 Billion in Unjustified Auto Insurance Rate Hikes 

March 23, 2023  ·  Pam Pressley

Insurance Commissioner Lara’s approval last week of a $263.7 million rate hike by California’s largest insurer, State Farm, marks the latest in a flurry of approvals of unjustified 2023 auto insurance rate hikes by the top 6 auto insurers, collectively totaling over $1 billion.

CA Dept. of Insurance Failed to Search For Records Linked To Government Corruption Scandal

February 27, 2023  ·  Jerry Flanagan

The non-profit Consumer Watchdog has filed an appeal in its California Public Records Act (“PRA”) lawsuit against Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and the California Department of Insurance.

Doctors Save $2.8 Million After Challenge to Malpractice Insurance Rate Hike

February 22, 2023  ·  Carmen Balber

Los Angeles, CA – In response to Consumer Watchdog’s challenge to Medical Insurance Exchange of California’s (“MIEC”) proposed rate increase on doctors’ and medical providers’...

Public Records Act Decision Could Mean More Government Secrecy, Undermine Transparency

January 11, 2023  ·  Jerry Flanagan

Los Angeles, CA — A recent decision in a public records case brought by Consumer Watchdog against the California Department of Insurance could encourage more...

Insurance Department Must Protect Public’s Right to Scrutinize Insurance Rate Increases Consumer Watchdog Says in Letter to Commissioner Lara After Abrupt Approval of GEICO Rate Hike

December 7, 2022  ·  Pam Pressley

Los Angeles, CA – The California Department of Insurance has approved a $268 million increase in auto insurance premiums for GEICO customers without following the public...