LAW OFFICES OF RENÉ KORPER
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LEMON LAW ATTORNEYS

Proposed Senate Bill 234 to cover military personnel who reside or are stationed in California!

On February 14, 2007, California Senator Ellen Corbett (D-San Leandro) sent a Valentine to all active members of the United States Armed Forces.  She introduced Senate Bill 234, which expands California’s lemon law to cover military personnel who reside or are stationed here, and who might otherwise not be able to take advantage of its protections.

Currently, many provisions of the California lemon law apply only to goods sold or leased in this state.  Among these provisions is the requirement that a manufacturer who cannot make a vehicle conform to warranty after a reasonable number of repair attempts either replace the vehicle or refund the purchase price.  At present, if a member of the Armed Forces who is a resident of California is stationed in, say, Washington and purchases a vehicle there, the California lemon law does not apply.  Similarly, if a resident of, for example, New Jersey is stationed here in California, the California lemon law does not apply if the vehicle was originally purchased in New Jersey, even if the vehicle began having problems in California and all of the repair attempts occurred here.

SB 234 would amend the law to expand its protections to those on full-time active duty in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, National Guard, or Coast Guard.  The lemon law would apply to all active members of the Armed Forces who are residents of California, wherever they are stationed, regardless of where they purchase their vehicles.  It would also apply to all active members of the Armed Forces stationed in California, regardless of where they officially reside or where they purchased their vehicles.

The source of Senator Corbett’s bill is Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, a consumer watchdog group in Sacramento with a long-standing history of fighting for the rights of consumers.  The bill’s formal supporters include the Consumer Attorneys of California.  It passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on a vote of 5-0, and on April 16 the Senate unanimously passed SB 234 on a vote of 36-0, with four Senators not voting.

SB 234 is currently before the California Assembly.  If it passes, it will be sent to Governor Schwarzenegger for his signature, and if he signs it the bill will become effective on January 1, 2008.  René Korper urges all residents of California to call their legislators and express their support for this admirable measure.