The League of Iowa Human & Civil Rights Agencies

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Hammered by a housing downturn that contributed to the state's budget crisis, California is boosting protections for home buyers and punishing brokers who mislead borrowers and steer them into costly loans. Statutes requiring individual loan officers to register with the state, making it a crime to give inaccurate information during the mortgage-application process and ensuring that banks inform potential borrowers of all their loan products are among hundreds of California laws that take effect Friday.

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