skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, March 29, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Battle Shaping Up Over CA Lemon Law

play audio
Play

Monday, January 24, 2022   

Consumer advocates are speaking out against a proposed ballot initiative that would reform California's so-called "Lemon Law."

Current law allows people who have been defrauded or sold a defective product to sue for damages plus attorney's fees. The ballot initiativeThe ballot initiative would limit the plaintiff's attorneys to 20% of the amount recovered.

Longtime activist Rosemary Shahan is the founder and president Sacramento-based Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety. She said that change would hobble the victims but says nothing about the amount big companies can spend to defend the suits.

"It would make it practically impossible for consumers to get an attorney and fight back in court when they've been victimized by a really unsafe product or fraud," said Shahan.

The initiative was written by the Civil Justice Association of California, a group Shahan says is backed by more than a dozen big corporations, including car manufacturers, oil companies, pharmaceutical companies, telecoms and banks.

Unverified reports emerged over the weekend that CJAC may halt its efforts to gather signatures. But president Kyla Christoffersen Powell said in a statement "We intend to pursue our measure and are evaluating our options in light of COVID and other factors."

She also has said that plaintiff's attorneys are abusing current laws, dragging out litigation for profit.

Shahan said California's trailblazing Lemon Law has drawn fire for decades.

"At CJAC their executive director has met with me over the years and tried to persuade us to weaken California's lemon law in various ways," said Shahan. "And I've always just said no. So I think they're just frustrated."

To qualify for the ballot, the initiative backers will need to attract more than 623,000 signatures - which is %5 of the people who voted in the last election for governor.




get more stories like this via email
more stories
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week about the popular abortion pill Mifepristone and will weigh in on whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was correct in how it can be dosed and prescribed. (Ascannio/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Missouri residents are worried about future access to birth control. The latest survey from The Right Time, an initiative based in Missouri…


Social Issues

play sound

Wisconsin children from low-income families are now on track to get nutritious foods over the summer. Federal officials have approved the Badger …

Social Issues

play sound

Almost 2,900 people are unsheltered on any given night in the Beehive State. Gov. Spencer Cox is celebrating signing nine bills he says are geared …


The U.S. teaching workforce remains primarily white while the percentage of Black teachers has declined. However, the percentage of Asian and Latinx teachers is rising.(WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobestock)

Social Issues

play sound

Education advocates are calling on lawmakers to increase funding for programs to combat the teacher shortage. Around 37% of schools nationwide …

Environment

play sound

New York's Legislature is considering a bill to get clean-energy projects connected to the grid faster. It's called the RAPID Act, for "Renewable …

Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021