Immediate Release
Contact: Belinda Barragan
(213) 435-7940
Governor signs into Law AB 2885
Latino Issues Forums Consumer Protection Bill
San Francisco, CA- Latino Issues Forum (LIF) a public policy and advocacy institute dedicated to advancing new and innovative public policy solutions for a better, more equitable, and prosperous society, is proud to announce the passage of the Prepaid Phone Card Service bill (AB 2885, De La Torre).
This bill grants the California Public Utilities Commission (CPCU) legal authority to protect consumers of prepaid calling cards against the prepaid calling card providers. “Current consumer protection mechanisms which require either a civil suit or an action by the Attorney General is inefficient,” says Assemblymember Hector De La Torre, author of the bill. “With the current system, enforcement actions are only taken when the prepaid calling card company has committed numerous violations of the law,” he continues.
Prepaid calling cards are generally used to make long distance telephone calls and can be purchased from a wide variety of retail locations, as well as through the Internet. Their convenience and availability has made prepaid calling cards popular amongst a wide range of consumers. “This bills aims to ensure that consumers are protected while using these cards,” says Nora E. Vargas, Executive Director for the Latino Issues Forum, sponsor of the bill. “Many in the Latino community rely on prepaid phone cards to call family and friends back home. As demand in this market continues to grow, we have to ensure that providers are held accountable on their end.”
For more information on this bill please contact Belinda Barragan, Regional Director at 213-435-7940
Latino Issues Forum Latino Issues Forum (LIF) is a non-profit public policy and advocacy institute dedicated to advancing new and innovative public policy solutions for a better, more equitable and prosperous society. Established in 1987, LIF's primary focus is on the broader issues of education, health care, the environment, telecommunications, and civic participation.
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