Senate OKs Consumer Privacy Bill

* Soda pop -- Would prohibit the sale of soda pop at elementary schools effective Jan. 1, at middle and junior high schools Sept. 1, 2005, and at high schools Jan. 1, 2006. Currently, removal of sodas from campuses is contingent upon the state making up the loss of revenue from soft drink sales. The bill, SB 677, by Sen. Deborah Ortiz (D-Sacramento) would ban them on certain deadlines regardless of the availability of replacement revenue. The vote was 22 to 15.

* Lawsuits -- Would authorize individual workers to sue their employers for civil penalties for violations of labor laws. The bill, SB 796, also would allow them to recover their costs and attorney fees. Introduced by Sen. Joe Dunn (D-Santa Ana), the bill was approved 21 to 13, the bare majority necessary.

The Assembly passed these bills and sent them to the Senate:

* Movers -- Would give consumers added protection from unscrupulous moving companies by prohibiting haulers from failing to deliver household goods unless permitted to do so by a written contract. "This is a major step in protecting consumers from dishonest movers who deceive customers with low estimates and then hold their belongings hostage on trucks until a ransom is paid," said Los Angeles City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo, who sponsored the bill, AB 845, by Assemblyman Juan Vargas (D-San Diego). Violators would be subject to three months in jail or a maximum $1,000 fine.

* Shelter -- Would stiffen the penalties for companies that use illegal financial arrangements to avoid paying state and federal taxes. The bill, AB 1601, by Assemblyman Dario Frommer (D-Los Feliz) would boost the penalty for promoting an illegal tax shelter from 25% of the total amount invested by all investors to 50%. It also would set the penalty for failing to register a tax shelter with the state Franchise Tax Board at 25% of the aggregate investment.

The bill would produce an estimated savings of $5 million to $10 million a year, backers say. It was passed 43 to 28.

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Times staff writer Nancy Vogel contributed to this report.