After years of successful regulation of the thermal insulation and electronic and appliance repair industries, the California Bureau of Electronic and Appliance Repair, Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation (BEARHFTI) became the regulator of the home moving and storage industry, taking the reins from the California Public Utilities Commission in July of 2018. Rather than attempt…
Have you ever wondered how many physicians and surgeons are licensed to practice by the Medical Board of California? It’s 140,748. How about the number of civil engineers licensed by the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists? 57,513. How about a harder one: maybe you’d like to see the year-over-year increase in licenses…
When it comes to authorizing work to be done on a vehicle, new regulations adopted by the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) will allow automotive repair dealers to provide their customers with more ways to say “go.” BAR’s new electronic regulations allow consumers to authorize work to be done on their vehicles via text message,…
The winter 2018 issue of Consumer Connection magazine is out now! In our last issue of the year, we cover the modifications that can help seniors stay in their homes longer, the best time of year to have solar installed on your home, treating children with concussions, how to reduce your exposure to blue light…
The 2018 California Legislative session saw more than 1000 bills signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown on topics ranging from net neutrality to gender discrimination, climate change to plastic straws, and, of course… cannabis. Cannabis-related legislation was a cornerstone of the legislative session. Some new laws offered minor language cleanup to the Medicinal and…
Losing a pet is difficult regardless of the circumstances, but the sad simple fact is that pets live shorter lives compared to their human companions. At the end of a faithful pet’s life, we may feel relief that they are no longer burdened by pain and suffering. If your pet passes away, or is euthanized,…
The Department of Consumer Affairs is made up of 38 separate entities, many of which operate independently but share a common mission: to protect California consumers by providing a safe and fair marketplace through oversight, enforcement, and licensure of professions. You may not realize just how many different ways DCA touches the lives of California…
In July 2017, the Office of Student Assistance and Relief (OSAR) opened its doors to California students in crisis with a simple mission: provide assistance to those suffering financial loss due to the closure of their for-profit educational institution. Soon, the first claims were filed, and OSAR staff hit the ground running, working to help…
If it feels like California is burning, it’s not your imagination. Wildfire activity exploded in the state in August, from the Natchez Fire, burning at the northern edge of the state just a few hundred feet south of the Oregon border, to the Cloverdale Fire in Escondido, which threatened animals at the San Diego Zoo…
If you’re moving within (“intrastate”) or out of state (“interstate”), or if a damage restoration company is moving or storing your goods while rebuilding your home, did you know there are laws protecting you from predatory “bandit” companies that extort money from customers while holding goods hostage? Read about how the Bureau of Electronic and…
