PUBLIC "-//Library of Virginia//TEXT (US::Vi::vi06002::A Guide to the Virginia Citizens Consumer Council Records, 1969-1993)//EN" "vi06002.xml" A Guide to the Virginia Citizens Consumer Council Records, 1969-1993 Virginia Citizens Consumer Council Records 40992 Renee M. Savits Library of Virginia © 2023 By The Library of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Machine-readable finding aid created in EAD by Renee M. Savits, 21 April 2023 Description is in English A Guide to the Virginia Citizens Consumer Council Records, 1969-1993 A Collection in the Library of Virginia 40992

Library of Virginia 2023 Renee M. Savits Library of Virginia Descriptive Summary The Library of Virginia Virginia Citizens Consumer Council Records, 1969-1993 40992 7.65 cu. ft. (17 boxes) English Virginia Citizens Consumer Council Administrative Information Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Virginia Citizens Consumer Council. Records, 1969-1993. Accession 40992. Organization Records Collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, VA 23219.

Acquisition Information

Gift of the Virginia Citizens Consumer Council, Richmond, Virginia, 7 January 2004.

Biographical Information

The Virginia Citizens Consumer Council (VCCC) is a non-profit volunteer association founded in 1966 by three women from Northern Virginia who were concerned about rising food and utilities costs. The organization promotes and represents the rights and interests of the consumer in Virginia by advocating pro-consumer positions in regulatory and legislative issues. They also participate in hearings and proceedings at the local, state and federal levels, and educate the community about consumer issues.

Scope and Content

The records are arranged alphabetically in 17 boxes and include annual reports, brochures, by-laws, correspondence, legislation, memoranda, minutes, newspaper clippings, newsletters, press releases, publications, reports, speeches, and surveys, documenting the history of VCCC's contribution to Virginia's consumer rights. Includes information on legislation to promote child car safety, passage of Virginia's new car "lemon-laws," successful challenges to allow prescription drug price advertising, lawsuits brought to restrict the availability of junk food in schools, efforts to stop Virginia Electric and Power Company (VEPCO) rate increases, support of plain language laws, regulation of health spas, and reform of ground beef labeling.

The Board of director's minute files are a good resource for annual reports, finances, meeting agendas, membership lists, memoranda, minutes, notes, organizational charts, press releases, resolutions, and treasurer's reports detailing VCCC's yearly activities. Several committees were established by VCCC to confront diverse issues, including the Complaint Committee, Legislative Committee, Supermarket Committee, and Toy Safety Committee. These committee files include correspondence, memoranda, minutes, notes, and press releases. The Legislative Committee, 1973-1991, includes correspondence, copies of legislative bills, information on lobbying efforts in the Virginia General Assembly, voting records of legislative members, and VCCC legislative agendas. The Complaint Committee, 1970-1975, gathered information on consumer complaints against various companies. The committee published the Consumer Complaint Action Guide, which provided consumers information about where and who to write for complaints about products (such as appliance repair, home construction, magazine subscriptions, and the postal service).

Information is included about the Dial-A-Consumer service, a 24 hour a day answering service which contained weekly messages concerning consumer safety alerts, general information on consumer topics, and notices of meetings or seminars, 1976-1977. Included is a notebook from 1977 listing the weekly messages. Also included are agendas, brochures, correspondence, memoranda, and programs for the annual VCCC Consumer Conference, 1988-1989; memoranda regarding grants from the Consumer Federation of America, 1987-1990; and correspondence, newsletters, and press releases from VCCC chapters (Northern Virginia, Richmond, Roanoke, and Williamsburg). The VCCC also initiated a number of lawsuits in their efforts to protect the Virginia consumer and the collection contains clippings, correspondence, legal judgments and statements relating to the suits. The organization was involved with lawsuits against VEPCO, the Virginia State Board of Pharmacy, Department of Agriculture, the American Bar Association, the Virginia State Bar, and Virginia Supreme Court.

Included are copies of newspaper clippings, 1970-1991, regarding initiatives by the VCCC to inform and protect consumers. Included are articles written by members of the VCCC entitled, "Consumer's Voice" and "Buy-Lines" in various Northern Virginia newspapers, 1975-1976. These article inform readers about pool safety, shopping in supermarkets, banking practices, new legislation, red food dye #2, surveys on cold medicine prices at local drug stores, UPC codes, donations to charity, tenant rights, how to proceed with complaints, new rules for mail order firms, salesman insurance laws, medical malpractice laws, and safety with zip-top cans.

Also included is an almost complete run of the VCCC newsletter entitled, "Voice of the Virginia Consumer," 1970-1993. The publication, Handbook (1976), includes a directory of members, board meeting schedules, general resolutions, board pledge, and VCCC bylaws and constitution. Numerous publications are also included such as, Citizen Inflation Action Handbook, Forming Consumer Organizations, Getting your Day in General District Court, and Training Consumer Leaders.

 Arrangement

This collection is arranged alphabetically by folder title.

 Contents List Action/Inaction: A Guide to the Virginia Legislature, Notes, misc., 1973 1 1 Action program committee, 1970 1 2 Action for child transportation safety (ACTS) chapters, 1974-1980 1 3 Automobile insurance, 1990 1 4 Automobile lemon law, 1988 1 5 Awards, 1974 1 6 Board of dentistry, 1984-1986 1 7 Board of directors minute files, 1970 1 8 Board of directors minute files, 1971 1 9 Board of directors minute files, 1972 January-September 1 10 Board of directors minute files, 1972 October-December 1 11 Board of directors minute files, 1973 1 12 Board of directors minute files, 1974 January-June 1 13 Board of directors minute files, 1974 July-December 2 1 Board of directors minute files, 1975 2 2 Board of directors minute files, 1976 January-June 2 3 Board of directors minute files, 1976 July-December 2 4 Board of directors minute files, 1977 2 5 Board of directors minute files, 1978 2 6 Board of directors minute files, 1979-1980 2 7 Board of directors minute files, 1981 2 8 Board of directors minute files, 1982 3 1 Board of directors minute files, 1983 3 2 Board of directors minute files, 1984 3 3 Board of directors minute files, 1985 3 4 Board of directors minute files, 1986 3 5 Board of directors minute files, 1987 January-June 3 6 Board of directors minute files, 1987 July-December 3 7 Board of directors minute files, 1988 3 8 Board of directors minute files, 1989 3 9 Board of directors minute files, 1990 4 1 Board of directors minute files, 1991 4 2 Board of directors minute files, 1992 4 3 Board of directors minute files, 1993 4 4 Board of directors, list, undated 4 5 Boycotts, 1973 4 6 Brochures and flyers, 1973-1986 4 7 Brochures, Drafts, 1972-1975 4 8 Bylaws and constitution, 1975-1976 4 9 Bylaws, Drafts, notes, and miscellaneous, 1972-1978 4 10 Chain Store Public Relations Conference, 1973 4 11 Chapter charter certificates, undated 4 12 Chapters (VCCC), Misc., 1971-1975 4 13 Chapters (VCCC), Newport News Chapter, 1972-1975 4 14 Chapters (VCCC), Northern Virginia Chapter, 1974-1978 4 15 Chapters (VCCC), Northern Virginia Chapter, Clippings, 1974-1978 4 16 Chapters (VCCC), Northern Virginia Chapter, Newsletters, 1974-1977 5 1 Chapters (VCCC), Northern Virginia Chapter, undated 5 2 Chapters (VCCC), Price William Chapter, 1977 5 3 Chapters (VCCC), Richmond Chapter, 1971-1975 5 4 Chapters (VCCC), Roanoke Chapter, 1974-1977 5 5 Chapters (VCCC), Tidewater Chapter, 1972-1975 5 6 Chapters (VCCC), Tidewater Chapter, 1977 5 7 Chapters (VCCC), Williamsburg Chapter, 1970-1975 5 8 Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Co., 1974 5 9 Clippings, 1971 5 10 Clippings, 1972 5 11 Clippings, 1973 5 12 Clippings, 1974 5 13 Clippings, 1975 5 14 Clippings, 1976 5 15 Clippings, 1977 5 16 Clippings, 1978 5 17 Clippings, 1980-1989 5 18 Clippings, 1991 5 19 Clippings, undated 5 20 Community Nutrition Institute, Lawsuit, 1979-1980 6 1-2 Consulting, 1979 6 3 Community Awareness Day, 1986 6 4 Consumer Activity Banking and Insurance (CABIN), 1977-1978 6 5 Consumer Complaint Committee, Activities, minutes, etc., 1970-1973 7 1 Consumer Complaint Committee, Consumer Complaint Action Guide, 1972-1975 7 2 Consumer Conference, 1988 7 3 Consumer Conference, 1989 7 4 Consumer Congress of Virginia, 1976-1977 7 5 Consumer Education and Awareness Committee, 1975 7 6 Consumer Federation of America grants, 1987-1990 7 7 Consumer Leadership Conference Booklet and Planning Committee, 1974-1976 7 8 Consumers Union, 1970-1978 7 9 Contracts, 1978 7 10 Correspondence, 1971-1975 7 11 Correspondence, 1976-1977 8 1 Correspondence, 1978 8 2 Correspondence, 1979-1983 8 3 Correspondence, 1986-1989 8 4 Correspondence, 1990 8 5 Correspondence, 1991 8 6 Correspondence, 1992 8 7 Dial-A-Consumer, 1972-1977 8 8 Drug prices, 1972-1976 8 9 Energy conscious Christmas, 1973-1975 8 10 Energy policy, 1974 8 11 False advertising issues, 1971-1974 9 1= Flea market, 1975 9 2 Food Day, 1975 9 3 Fundraising events, 1982 9 4 Funeral directors, 1984-1985 9 5 Golden Coathanger Awards, 1988 9 6 Ground beef blast, 1975 9 7 Handbook, 1976-1977 9 8 Health Planning Council of Northern Virginia, Doctors director, 1975 9 9 Health Planning Council of Northern Virginia, Doctors director, 1976 9 10 Health Planning Council of Northern Virginia, Doctors director, 1978 9 11 Health regulatory reform, 1984-1985 9 12 Health spa legislation, 1984 9 13 Iowa beef industry council, 1973 9 14 Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Correspondence with, 1974-1976 9 15 Lawyers committee and directory, 1972-1975 9 16 Legislative issues, General, 1973-1975 10 1 Legislative issues, General, 1976 10 2 Legislative issues, General, 1982-1983 10 3 Legislative issues, General, 1984 10 4 Legislative issues, General, 1985-1987 10 5 Legislative issues, General, 1988 10 6 Legislative issues, General, 1989-1991 10 7 Liability insurance, 1986-1988 10 8 Liability insurance, Miscellaneous, 1988 11 1 Lobbyists, 1988-1992 11 2 Membership, 1976-1983 11 3 Newsletters, Voice of the Virginia Consumer, 1970-1972 11 4 Newsletters, Voice of the Virginia Consumer, 1973-1974 11 5 Newsletters, Voice of the Virginia Consumer, 1975 11 6 Newsletters, Voice of the Virginia Consumer, 1976 11 7 Newsletters, Voice of the Virginia Consumer, 1977 11 8 Newsletters, Voice of the Virginia Consumer, 1978 11 9 Newsletters, Voice of the Virginia Consumer, 1979 12 1 Newsletters, Voice of the Virginia Consumer, 1980 12 2 Newsletters, Voice of the Virginia Consumer, 1981-1982 12 3 Newsletters, Voice of the Virginia Consumer, 1983-1984 12 4 Newsletters, Voice of the Virginia Consumer, 1985-1986 12 5 Newsletters, Voice of the Virginia Consumer, 1987 12 6 Newsletters, Voice of the Virginia Consumer, 1988 12 7 Newsletters, Voice of the Virginia Consumer, 1989 12 8 Newsletters, Voice of the Virginia Consumer, 1990 12 9 Newsletters, Voice of the Virginia Consumer, 1991-1993 12 10 Newsletters, Voice of the Virginia Consumer, Distribution list, 1983 12 11 Plain language laws, Articles, pamphlets, etc., 1986 13 1 Plain language laws, "How Plain English Works for Business: 12 Case Studies," 1984 13 2 Plain language laws, Simply Stated newsletters, 1980-1983 13 3 Power companies, 1986-1987 13 4 Press releases, 1970-1971 13 5 Press releases, Copies, 1972 13 6 Press releases, Drafts, 1972 13 7 Press releases, Copies, 1973 13 8 Press releases, Drafts, 1973 13 9 Press releases, 1974 13 10 Press releases, 1975 13 11 Press releases, 1976-1978 14 1 Press releases, 1983-1990 14 2 Press releases, undated 14 3 Prescription drug pricing, 1975 14 4 Publications, Action/Inaction: A Guide to the Virginia Legislature, prepared by the Legislative Committee of the VCCC, 1973 14 5 Publications, Attorney's Directory for Arlington County, published by Consumers Union and VCCC, 1982 14 6 Publications, Citizen Inflation Action Handbook, prepared by Consumers Opposed to Inflation in the Necessities (The COIN Campaign), ca. 1978 14 7 Publications, Conducting the Consumer Survey: A Primer for Volunteers with Special Sections on Interviewing and on Telephone Surveying, by Glen H. Mitchell with Mark L. Mitchell, 1979 14 8 Publications, Getting your day in General District Court, published by the Fairfax County Dept. of Consumer Affairs, undated 14 9 Publications, Forming Consumer Organizations, prepared by the President's Committee on Consumer Interests, 1969 14 10 Publications, Hearings before the Subcommittee for Consumers of the Committee on Commerce United States Senate, 94th Congress, 2nd Session, 1976 14 11 Publications, An Invitation to Consumers, prepared by VCCC, undated 14 12 Publications, The National Seminar on EFT Consumer/Industry/Government, held by the Virginia Citizens Consumer Foundation and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1971 14 13 Publications, Report: COCO National Conference on Professional, Occupational, and Institutional Licensing & the Consumer, sponsored by Conference of Consumer Organizations (COCO) and VCCC, 1978 14 14 Publications, Training Consumer Leaders: Planning and implementing a consumer leadership conference, by Ruth D. Harris, Laura Horowitz, and Lynn Jordan, 1974 14 15 Publications, Virginia State Board of Pharmacy vs. Virginia Citizens Consumer Council, in the Supreme Court of the United States, October term 1974: Motion to Dismiss, 1974 14 16 Public members on boards, 1984-1985 15 1 Real estate, 1989-1990 15 2 Springfield Mall Committee, 1973-1976 15 3 Stamps, 1969-1972 15 4 State Corporation Commission, Constitution of Virginia, undated 15 5 Status of Women, 1972 15 6 Student action, 1971 15 7 Studies, Consumer Study of Electronic Funds transfer, 1977 15 8 Studies, Proposed trade regulation rule on over-the-counter antacids, 1978 15 9 Studies, Report on bypass and drop off in the state of Washington: Findings and Recommendation, 1985 15 10 Studies, White paper on credit insurance, 1991 15 11 Supermarket Committee, 1971-1976 15 12 Surveys, Automobiles, 1971-1972 15 13 Surveys, Legislative members, 1973-1977 15 14 Surveys, VCCC membership, 1973-1992 16 1 Surveys, Miscellaneous, 1973-1977 16 2 Tax exempt application, 1975-1985 16 3 Tax reform, 1987 16 4 Telecommunications Conference, 1988 16 5 Telephone Solicitation Ethics Council, Code of Ethics, 1978 16 6 Telephone Solicitation Ethics Council, Correspondence, etc., 1973-1978 16 7 Testimony of Judy Kory, 1985 16 8 Testimony of the VCCC on the Board of Nursing, 1984 16 9 Tort reform, 1986-1987 16 10 Tort reform, 1992 16 11 Tort reform, undated 16 12 Toy Safety Committee, 1972-1975 17 1 Truth squads, 1971-1972 17 2 UPC Code, 1975-1976 17 3 U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 1976 17 4 U.S. Postal Service bulk mail permits, 1974-1976 17 5 VEPCO Stock certificate and dividends, 1975-1983 17 6 Volunteer meeting, 1974-1976 17 7 WNVT Television (Channel 53), 1972 17 8 Women with a purpose, 1975 17 9