Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Tuesday that will allow consumers to cancel hotel reservations, with a full refund at no charge, up to 24 hours after they make a booking with hotels, short-term rentals and third-party booking services.
Senate Bill 644 says people must book at least 72 hours before their stay.
"This first-in-the-nation law will end the confusing maze of misleading cancellation policies for lodging on the Internet," the bill's author, state Sen. Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, said in a statement. "Now, consumers will have a chance to correct mistakes and cancel bookings they hadn't intended to make and get a full refund."
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The bill, which did not receive any no votes when the full Assembly and full Senate each weighed in on it, allows for civil penalties of up to $10,000 for violations.
