Business

Opinion: There’s a Sensible Approach to Fix California’s Broken Lemon Law

Access to reliable cars is a fundamental need for consumers, small business owners, and their hard-working employees. California’s Lemon Law is a long-standing consumer protection that allows our community members to replace the family car if they take it to the shop for repairs and it can’t be fixed. This law is a vital tool for consumers that must be protected at all costs; however, there are serious flaws in the current system that must be dealt with, especially with the current increase in the cost of living.

Published

2 years ago

September 13, 2024

Oakland Post

Courtesy of Earl “Skip” Cooper

Earl Skip Cooper, Special to California Black Media Partners

Access to reliable cars is a fundamental need for consumers, small business owners, and their hard-working employees.

California’s Lemon Law is a long-standing consumer protection that allows our community members to replace the family car if they take it to the shop for repairs and it can’t be fixed. This law is a vital tool for consumers that must be protected at all costs; however, there are serious flaws in the current system that must be dealt with, especially with the current increase in the cost of living.

In the last few years, lemon law complaints filed in California courts have increased by many thousands, which has resulted in a court system that is severely backlogged and slows justice down even more for the consumers who need it the most. To show in numbers what this looks like, there were 4,300 cases filed in 2015 – and this year, there will likely be 30,000. This isn’t due to issues with vehicle quality; studies show those ratings are better than ever. Instead, our current law has created a system that allows, even encourages, and rewards bad-acting attorneys to mass-file thousands of lawsuits to force companies to settle and get their big cut. This can’t be allowed to continue any longer.

The backlog in the courts caused by these bad actors results in families waiting years for these cases to resolve, which means they have to spend their hard-earned dollars renting vehicles for months or relying on rideshares and taxis constantly.

The bill is called Assembly Bill 1755, coauthored by well-respected and strong leaders in our State Legislature – Sen. Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana) and Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose). AB 1755 is a vital bill that gives consumers the right to cut out expensive, unnecessary middlemen and email the auto manufacturers directly to own the resolution of the problem and find out directly whether and how quickly an auto manufacturer will offer a vehicle repurchase or replacement for a customer having a car repair issue that can’t be fixed. Under the deadlines in the bill, manufacturers would have to decide within 30 days of simple customer notice whether they will make it right. And if a vehicle repurchase or replacement is offered, that solution must be completed within the next 30 days.

AB 1755 is supported by our California African American Chamber of Commerce and speaking for myself as a Community activist for over 50 years, and the Chairman of the Board and President Emeritus for the Black Business Association, headquartered in Los Angeles, I wholeheartedly agree. On behalf of the consumers and businesses I work with, I call on Governor Newsom to sign AB 1755.

Consumers should not be forced to wait months or years for a replacement vehicle so that they can get to work, drive their kids to school, and explore everything our great region has to offer in their time off. I would humbly ask for our community to support the common-sense reforms proposed in Assembly Bill 1755, which is on our Governor’s desk awaiting his signature.

Let California be a leader on this issue and provide an example of what good a consumer protection reform can look like.

About the Author

Earl Skip Cooper is the Chairman of the Board and President Emeritus, Black Business Association.

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Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

Published

7 days ago

March 22, 2026

Oakland Post

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Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

2 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC