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U.S. gender wage gap grows for first time in a decade; Trump has embraced NC's Mark Robinson, calling him 'Martin Luther King on steroids'; Volunteers sought as early voting kicks off in MN; Women's political contributions in congressional races fall short of men's.

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Rising threats of political violence, a Federal Reserve rate cut, crypto industry campaign contributions and reproductive rights are shaping today's political landscape.

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A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Proposed Rule Should Benefit NV Consumers on Phone Contracts and More

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Monday, October 12, 2015   

LAS VEGAS - A measure is pending that should mean better protection for Nevadans when they sign up for monthly contracts on necessities such as mobile phones.

Matthew Sharp, a Reno trial lawyer with the Nevada Justice Association, says the good news in the proposed change from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is that it will restore class-action rights to Nevadans on essential items such as their monthly mobile phone contracts.

"If a telecom company decides to cheat their customers by $10, $5, or $100, there is a mechanism to hold those businesses accountable for Nevadans and that mechanism is a class action," says Sharp.

Sharpe says those contracts routinely require consumers to sign away their right to file a class-action lawsuit, but the measure now before the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau would restore those rights.

On the downside, Sharp says the proposal would force consumers into arbitration on an individual basis. He says that could hurt Nevada consumer's ability to obtain compensation from their bank, if, for example, a fraudster was able to steal $2,000 from their account.

"Well, that's a lot of money, but in order to hold the bank accountable, you will be subject to a mandatory arbitration provision," says Sharp. "And to arbitrate that case, you will be paying well over $2,000 just in arbitration fees - so, that's the kind of thing that can impact consumers."

Sharp says two positive benefits of the proposed rules are that they would provide more transparency for consumers and should provide a deterrent effect for companies to obey the law, so they can avoid lawsuits.


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