Measures Advance to Protect Credit Card and Check Users

Two Assembly-approved bills designed to protect the privacy of consumers who pay for goods or services with a credit card or check are moving ahead in the state Senate.

One measure (AB 2920) by Assemblyman Rusty Areias (D-Los Banos) would prohibit merchants from asking for addresses or telephone numbers on credit card receipts. These addresses or phone numbers sometimes are later sold for direct mail advertising purposes or boiler room telephone sales pitches.

Approved by a 44-12 Assembly vote, it got out of the Senate Judiciary Committee by an 8-0 vote and is headed for the Appropriations Committee.

The second measure (AB 2880), also sponsored by Areias, would prohibit merchants from requiring credit card numbers on the back of checks for identification purposes. The merchants say they need the numbers to protect against bounced checks, but credit card companies don’t cover bounced checks, according to Areias.

Approved by a 74-0 Assembly vote, this measure also cleared the Judiciary Committee by a 7-1 vote to move to the Appropriations Committee.

Violations of the two consumer protection proposals call for $250 fines for a first offense and $1,000 for subsequent violations. ASSEMBLY Floor Action

Petition Circulators: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 49-9 vote a bill (AB 3148) by Assemblyman Stan Statham (R-Oak Run) to require ballot initiative circulators to give their name and their employer’s name before asking a voter to sign for qualification purposes.

Committee Action

Drugs: The Public Safety Committee approved a bill (SB 2031) by Sen. Robert Presley (D-Riverside) to give $10 million to state and local law enforcement agencies to crack down on illegal methamphetamine laboratories, which are springing up especially in rural areas. An 8-0 vote sent the bill to the Ways and Means Committee.

Stalking: The Public Safety Committee also approved a bill (SB 2184) by Sen. Edward R. Royce (R-Anaheim) to create a crime of stalking, described as maliciously following or disturbing the peace of another person with the intent of making him or her fear death or serious injury. A 7-0 vote sent the bill to the Ways and Means Committee.

Financial Firms: The Finance and Insurance Committee approved a bill (SB 2163) by Sen. Gary K. Hart (D-Santa Barbara) to require state regulators to disclose all non-public communications with financial companies that are being regulated or investigated. The bill was sparked by the current Lincoln Savings & Loan scandal in which many investors lost their life savings. An 11-3 vote sent the bill to the Ways and Means Committee.

Earthquake Insurance: The Finance and Insurance Committee also rejected a bill (SB 2608) by Sen. Cecil N. Green (D-Norwalk) to set up a state earthquake insurance corporation to provide low-cost minimum coverage for homeowners. Vote against the bill was 9-3, but it may be reconsidered after the Legislature’s summer vacation recess that ends in early August.

Telephone Books: The Natural Resources Committee approved a bill (SB 2700) by Sen. Barry Keene (D-Benicia) to require telephone books to be made of recyclable materials starting in 1994 if a study shows it is feasible. Californians use 8 million phone books a year, but binding, glue and covers make them unrecyclable. A 12-1 vote sent the bill to the Ways and Means Committee. Disposable Diapers: The Natural Resources Committee approved a bill (SB 2837) by Sen. Lucy Killea (D-San Diego) to require disposable diapers that aren’t biodegradable to carry a label warning of the environmental problems caused by their disposal. Killea said the 2.5 billion disposable diapers thrown away in California each year are enough to pave Interstate 5 from the Mexican border to the Oregon state line. A 7-3 vote sent the bill to the Ways and Means Committee. SENATE Committee Action

Warning Systems: The Housing Committee approved a bill (AB 2994) by Assemblyman Gerald R. Eaves (D-Rialto) to require all buildings with a capacity of 10,000 or more people to have public address warning systems with an emergency power backup system. Eaves said he got the idea after attending a World Series game at Candlestick Park in San Francisco when last October’s earthquake struck. A 5-0 vote sent the bill to the Appropriations Committee.

Capital Fact

So far during his two terms in office, Gov. George Deukmejian has appointed 8,560 people to various state posts, including 933 judges.