Consumer Watchdog

Litigation -- Consumer Watchdog (cwd) works to protect consumers in the courts and before administrative agencies. Cwd litigated to protect Consumer access to the health care and insurance benefits they are promised, prevent insurance companies from violating Consumer protection laws, ensure transparency in government, and return illegal overcharges. In 2022, Consumer Watchdog achieved a victory in the supreme court of the united states and continues litigating a case representing plaintiffs living with hiv in a suit against cvs for unlawfully disclosing hiv status and/or putting individuals at risk of such a disclosure, as well as providing them a lower tier of service. Cwd continues to litigate two actions against health insurers for failing to pay their taxes, and litigation to protect consumers' privacy against a California public health agency whose contractor's action resulted in the exposure of hiv positive patients' protected medical information. Cwd initiated or intervened in several proceedings at the California department of insurance to challenge excessive insurance rate increases saving consumers tens of millions of dollars, challenged the discriminatory use of drivers' job and education level to set auto insurance rates, and challenged home insurance companies' failure to give homeowners rate relief for taking steps to protect their homes from wildfire. Cwd testified and provided legal analysis of new regulations seeking to provide home and condo owners with insurance discounts for home hardening and brush clearance that reduces the risk their home will burn in a wildfire. Cwd litigated a suit against an auto insurance company for discriminating against certain members of the military by charging enlisted service members more than officers, in violation of proposition 103. Cwd litigated a suit under the public records act against a state agency and its head for withholding documents relevant to a corruption scandal. In 2022, cwd issued 15 news releases and generated 16 news stories on these topics that appeared on state and national television and radio programs, and in print and online news outlets.

Privacy, corporate accountability & political reform -- Consumer Watchdog (cwd) educates the public about issues related to Consumer rights, privacy, technology and political reform, and researches and informs the public about corporate involvement in the political process. In 2022, cwd worked to protect Consumer privacy and safety in autonomous vehicles and connected cars. Cwd released a report, "connected cars and the threat to your privacy," that exposed how data gathered about consumers by their cars is the new frontier of data collection for companies that monetize personal information for profit. A new cwd report, "privacy dawn," made the case to the California privacy protection agency for implementing strong regulations under California's strongest-in-the-nation data privacy law, including the law's application to data collected by connected cars and new disclosures and controls for automated decision-making and ai. Cwd fought federal legislation that sought to preempt state protections and would have undermined the law passed by California voters. Cwd backed legislation that imposes new disclosure requirements for lobbyists paid to influence insurance mergers at the California department of insurance. Cwd researched and exposed the conflicts of interest created by corporate campaign contributions to politicians across our program areas. In 2022, cwd issued 12 news releases and generated 52 news stories on these topics that appeared on state and national television and radio programs, and in print and online news outlets.

Energy reform -- Consumer Watchdog (cwd) investigates the regulation of companies generating fossil fuels and pollution, advocates to improve oversight of the oil, gas and utility industries, and fights for reliable, affordable, and clean energy. In 2022, cwd educated the public about the need to limit fossil fuel supplies in the fight against climate change, including curbing oil drilling and fossil fuel-powered electric plants. Cwd conducted extensive research showing oil refiners' profits are consistently higher in California than across the nation, and supported successful legislation to require oil refiners disclose their profits-per-gallon monthly. Cwd advocated for a special session of the California legislature to impose a price-gouging penalty on oil refiners if they collect excess profits by artificially inflating gas prices. Cwd published quarterly updates to its online map documenting the extent of oil and gas well permitting in the state of California, maintaining public pressure for an end to new extraction permits and a safety buffer between homes and wells. Cwd continued a public education campaign to expose the failures of California's bottle deposit recycling system. A cwd report, "cash for trash," exposed fraud in California's bottle deposit program; and "pilot error" made the case for bottle deposit reform. Cwd backed successful legislation that will make it easier for consumers to recycle their bottles and cans. In 2022, cwd issued 35 news releases and generated 464 news stories on these topics that appeared on state and national television and radio programs, and in print and online news outlets.

Healthcare & insurance reform -- Consumer Watchdog (cwd) fights to protect consumers from insurance abuses, to improve patient safety and accountability in the health care system, and for universally accessible and affordable health care. In 2022, cwd organized patients who have been harmed by medical negligence to share their stories and advocate to change a law that prevents injured californians from getting justice; those efforts culminated in an historic deal to update the state's medical negligence cap for the first time in 48 years and improve injured patients' access to justice. A new report, "lift the cap," found that medicaid programs in states without a medical negligence cap receive significantly higher reimbursements from malpractice cases than California does because of its low cap. Cwd organized families across the state harmed by the maternal mortality crisis, and supported dozens of families learning to speak up for their own health care and for policy change. Cwd advocated before the legislature and medical board of California for stronger patient safety protections and swifter discipline for physicians who have harmed their patients. Cwd works to enforce and protect California's insurance reform proposition 103, which regulates most property/casualty insurance including auto, homeowners and small business insurance. Cwd challenged excessive insurance rate increases at the California department of insurance saving consumers tens of millions of dollars. Cwd educated the public, news media and policymakers about prop 103's power to protect homeowners from insurance industry wildfire abuses. A cwd report, "up in smoke," documented systematic efforts by the insurance industry to hollow out the benefits in home insurance policies, making them less protective for consumers. Cwd advocated to strengthen regulations at the California department of insurance to require insurers to consider homeowner actions to protect against wildfire risk in pricing and non-renewal decisions. In 2022, cwd issued 28 news releases and generated 541 news stories on these topics that appeared on state and national television and radio programs, and in print and online news outlets.