Consumer Law

Governor Signs Car Buyers Protection Bills

By Kemnitzer, Anderson, Barron, Ogilvie & Brewer

Gov Schwarzenegger signed two car buyer protection bills. Given the fact his own administration had publicly opposed them both, this is a stunning reversal. Senate Bill 95(Corbett) will require auto dealers to pay off liens on cars that were traded in with negative equity, before they can sell or transfer them -- which usually happens within a day or two -- or within 21 days (if they keep them that long). The auto dealers and their trade associations were hugely opposed to this bill -- especially the provision for pay-offs prior to resale.

Assembly Bill 647 (Yamada) will require the CA DMV to allow public access to the
national database of totaled/wrecked/stolen autos (NMVTIS), and to comply with the federal Anti-Car Theft Act.

Both bills were sponsored by CARS, a non-profit run by Rosemary Shahan. Rosemary was in large part responsible for the passage of these bills into law.

Full post as published by Lemon Law Blog on October 12, 2009 (boomark / email).