CaliforniaDeceptive practices: service members and veterans.
What it does
The Consumers Legal Remedies Act makes unlawful certain unfair methods of competition and certain unfair or deceptive acts or practices undertaken by a person in a transaction intended to result or that results in the sale or lease of goods or services to a consumer, including charging or receiving an unreasonable fee, as defined, to prepare, aid, or advise any prospective applicant, applicant, or recipient in the procurement, maintenance, or securing of public social services, as defined to include, among other things, veterans pensions.
More detail
This bill would expand the definition of public social services to also include other veterans benefits. The bill would also expand the definition of an unreasonable fee to include a fee charged with respect to federal veterans benefits that exceeds the amount that could be charged for those services by an attorney or claims agent accredited by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
Existing law prohibits a person from, in connection with any transaction or any sale of goods or services, electronically accessing a Common Access Card (CAC) issued to a service member, placing or requiring the placement of such a CAC in a smart card reader, requesting or requesting entry of the personal identification number (PIN) associated with such a CAC, or requiring a service member to log in to any United States Department of Defense or, in the case of a member of the United States Coast Guard, United States Department of Homeland Security computer system. Existing law makes void a transaction or sale entered into in violation of these provisions.
This bill would extend the above-described restrictions to prohibit requiring a former or current service member to log in or share their credentials for accessing, or accessing with another person's credentials, any United States Department of Defense, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, or United States Department of Homeland Security computer system. Except as provided, the bill would prohibit a person from, in connection with any transaction or any sale of goods or services, directly or indirectly soliciting, contracting for, charging, or receiving, or attempting to solicit, contract for, charge, or receive, any fee or compensation with respect to the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of any claim for benefits under the laws administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill would also make void a contract performed in violation of these provisions. The bill would make violations of these provisions a misdemeanor. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Where do you stand?
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Feb 10Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 1, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Feb 10Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Jan 30Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.To Governor
- Jan 26Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 25. Noes 6. Page 3280.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.Major
- Vote recorded W/O REF. TO FILE. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 26Consent granted to take up without reference to file.
- Jan 26Ordered to unfinished business.
- Jan 26Withdrawn from committee. (Ayes 29. Noes 9. Page 3280.)Major
- 2025
- Sep 9From committee: Be re-referred to Com. on RLS. (Ayes 12. Noes 0. Page 2753.) (September 9). Re-referred to Com. on RLS.Minor
- Vote recorded Be re-referred to the Committee on [Rules]. Result: pass.Upper
- Sep 8From committee: Be re-referred to Com. on JUD. pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10(d). (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 2570.) Re-referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
- Sep 8Re-referred to Com. on RLS. pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10(d).Minor
- Sep 4In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
- Vote recorded SB 694 Archuleta Senate Third Reading By Schiavo. Result: pass.Lower
- Sep 4Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 68. Noes 0. Page 2927.) Ordered to the Senate.Passed Assembly
- Sep 2Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 29From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (August 29).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 20August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.
- Jul 9From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (July 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jul 9Coauthors revised.
- Jul 8
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Jul 2From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
- Jul 1
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 23From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on M. & V.A.Major
- May 29Referred to Com. on M. & V.A.Minor
- May 23In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.Minor
- Vote recorded Consent Calendar 2nd. Result: pass.Upper
- May 23Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 36. Noes 0. Page 1137.) Ordered to the Assembly.Passed Senate
- May 20Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.Minor
- May 19From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to consent calendar.Minor
- May 9Set for hearing May 19.
- May 8May 12 hearing postponed by committee.
- May 2Set for hearing May 12.
- Apr 29From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 4. Noes 0. Page 919.) (April 28). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 28
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 28Set for hearing April 28.
- Mar 5Referred to Com. on M. & V.A.Minor
- Feb 24Read first time.Minor
- Feb 24From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 24.
- Feb 21Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.Introduced
- Sep 9From committee: Be re-referred to Com. on RLS. (Ayes 12. Noes 0. Page 2753.) (September 9). Re-referred to Com. on RLS.Minor