Store Research
ASSEMBLY BILL 500 (UNRUH – 1959)
CHAPTER 201, STATUTES OF 1959
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Civil Code sections relating to credit and installment sales of goods and services were enacted in 1959 following legislative passage of Assembly Bill 500, which enacted the “Unruh Act.” (See Exhibit #1g) This bill was introduced on January 20, 1959 by Assembly member Jesse Unruh along with numerous other members of the Assembly. (See Exhibits #1a and #1g)
Assembly Bill 500 was assigned to the Assembly Committee on Finance and Insurance and the Senate Committee on Insurance and Financial Institutions where policy issues raised by the bill were considered. (See Exhibit #2) Amendments were made to the bill on February 26, March 25, April 2, April 9, and April 13, 1959. (See Exhibits #1b through #1f and #2) Governor Edmund G. Brown signed the bill on April 29, 1959, and it was enacted on that date as Chapter 201 of the Statutes of 1959. (See Exhibits #1g and #2)
It appears that Assembly Bill 500 was introduced to effectuate the efforts of the Subcommittee on Lending and Fiscal Agencies of the Assembly Interim Committee on Finance and Insurance and also at the request of the Governor. (See Exhibit #3, documents AP-1, et seq.)
The purpose of this measure was stated as follows in a Memorandum prepared by the author of this measure, Assembly member Unruh, who also served as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Ways and Means at this time:
The purpose of this legislation is to protect the consumer when he purchases goods or services on an installment plan. For the past two years the Assembly Finance and Insurance Committee has conducted an extensive investigation into the methods and practices of retail installment selling. During the course of this investigation, many abusive practices have been uncovered. The major areas of abuse involve non-disclosure of terms and conditions and of excessively high finance charges.
(See Exhibit #3, document AP-2)