SB 95: Sellers of travel: travel consolidators: fraud.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law regulates sellers of travel, as defined, and requires a seller of travel to annually register with the Attorney General. Existing law, unless an exception applies, requires a seller of travel to establish a trust fund to deposit money received from persons for travel services and prohibits the seller of travel from withdrawing money from the trust account except for specified purposes, including to make refunds to the passenger. Existing law exempts a seller of travel from the requirement to establish a trust account under specified circumstances, including if the seller of travel is a participant in a Consumer Protection Deposit Plan or uses a Consumer Protection Escrow Plan and meets specified requirements. Existing law imposes an obligation on a seller of travel either to provide the air or sea transportation or travel service purchased by the passenger or to make a refund within a certain period of time, except as specified. Existing law establishes the Travel Consumer Restitution Corporation to provide restitution to a person aggrieved, as defined, and provides for payment of claims from the Travel Consumer Restitution Fund established by the Travel Consumer Restitution Corporation.

This bill would specify the term “seller of travel” includes a travel consolidator, as defined. The bill would require an air carrier to refund a person who purchased a ticket or voucher for air transportation from a seller of travel if the person is a victim of fraud committed by the seller of travel, the air carrier had actual knowledge of the seller of travel’s fraudulent business practice, and the person was unable to procure a refund from the seller of travel within a reasonable time. If the seller of travel is not registered, the bill would specify that the sale is voidable by the purchaser. Because a violation of the provisions regulating sellers of travel is a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the circumstances, this bill would expand the scope of a crime and would therefore impose a state-mandated local crime.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. February 2, 2026Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
2. May 23, 2025May 23 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.
3. May 16, 2025Set for hearing May 23.
4. May 5, 2025May 5 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
5. April 25, 2025Set for hearing May 5.
6. April 23, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0. Page 833.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
7. April 10, 2025From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
8. April 7, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 10. Noes 0. Page 679.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
9. April 1, 2025Set for hearing April 22 in JUD. pending receipt.
10. March 26, 2025Set for hearing April 7.
11. March 19, 2025Re-referred to Coms. on B. P. & E.D. and JUD.
12. March 12, 2025From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.