CONTACT INFORMATION:

For state-level issues and state trends:

Kimberly Larson

Deputy Political Director
State PIRGs
(206) 357-1788
(213) 251-3680 x323

For federal issues:
Elizabeth Hitchcock

Communications Director
U.S. PIRG
(202) 546-9707

Steve Blackledge
Policy Director, California Public Interest Research Group, CALPIRG
(916) 488-4516 ext. 108 ·

Expertise: identity theft and privacy, prescription drugs, health care reform, bank fees, corporate reform, media ownership, product safety, payday loans, financial services, rent-to-own practices

Background: Mr. Blackledge coordinates policy development, research and legislative advocacy for CALPIRG.

Based in CALPIRG's Sacramento office, he has led the organization's work on consumer protection, health care, and corporate and accounting reform. Following the Enron scandal, he helped usher in several accounting reform laws that include provisions requiring accountants to retain records relating to an audit for a longer period of time and preventing accountants from immediately accepting employment with companies they have audited.

Mr. Blackledge has successfully advocated many consumer protection policies, including prescription drug buying polls, tough financial privacy laws. Mr. Blackledge’s successful advocacy also led to the passage of a statewide prescription drug buying pool, the nation’s toughest financial privacy law, including a first-of-its-kind “shine the light” privacy law that allows consumers to find out if businesses have shared or sold their personal information. In 2004, he drafted and advocated the passage of the Prescription Drug Industry Fair Marketing Act which requires pharmaceutical companies to limit the gifts they give doctors.

Mr. Blackledge has appeared on KCRA TV-3 (NBC), KNBC TV-4 (NBC), KXTV News 10 (ABC), CSPAN and the Lou Dobb’s show on CNN. He has been interviewed on multiple radio stations throughout the state and has been quoted in the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News, Sacramento Bee, and other newspapers throughout the state. Mr. Blackledge has worked with PIRG since 1991, and prior to joining CALPIRG in 2002, he served as director of New Hampshire PIRG.

Mr. Blackledge is also the Policy Director for the CALPIRG Education Fund, the 501(c)(3) sister organization of CALPIRG.

Education: B.A., Wartburg College, 1991

Note: Environment California became the home of CALPIRG's environmental work in 2003. Click here to contact a spokesperson from Environment California.

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