Former CFPB Director Rohit Chopra Sworn In as Head of California’s New Consumer Agency
Former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Rohit Chopra has officially been sworn in as secretary of California’s newly created Business and Consumer Services Agency (BCSA), placing one of the nation’s most prominent consumer protection officials in charge of a cabinet-level agency that includes oversight of the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI).
The move could influence California’s consumer financial protection agenda, including priorities affecting debt collectors and other financial services companies regulated by the DFPI.
New Agency Coordinates Consumer Protection Efforts
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Chopra’s appointment in May following the creation of the BCSA through a government reorganization approved in 2025.
The new agency oversees several state departments and regulatory bodies, including the DFPI, Department of Consumer Affairs, Department of Real Estate, Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, Department of Cannabis Control and the California Horse Racing Board.
According to the state, the BCSA was established to strengthen consumer protections, support entrepreneurs and small businesses, improve coordination across agencies and promote a fair, competitive economy.
The agency said it plans to launch new initiatives and enforcement efforts focused on protecting consumers, combating anticompetitive and fraudulent business practices, supporting innovation and ensuring emerging technologies benefit Californians.
DFPI Continues Existing Regulatory Authority
Although the creation of the BCSA represents a structural change within California government, it does not expand or alter the statutory authority of the DFPI.
The department will continue to supervise, investigate, license, regulate and enforce California’s consumer financial laws, including the California Consumer Financial Protection Law. The DFPI also remains the primary regulator responsible for licensing debt collectors operating in California under the Debt Collection Licensing Act.
Instead, Chopra’s role will focus on providing strategic oversight and coordinating policy across the agencies within the BCSA while advising the governor on consumer protection priorities.
For debt collection agencies and other financial services providers, existing licensing and examination requirements remain unchanged. However, the appointment signals that consumer financial protection is expected to remain a significant policy priority in California.
Chopra Brings Federal Consumer Protection Experience
Chopra served as director of the CFPB from 2021 until 2025 after previously serving as a commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission. During his tenure at the CFPB, the bureau pursued an aggressive enforcement agenda involving consumer financial protection, data privacy, junk fees and oversight of financial institutions.
Following his departure from the CFPB, Chopra was named senior advisor to the Democratic Attorneys General Association’s Consumer Protection and Affordability Working Group.
One of Chopra’s first public actions as BCSA secretary was urging the Federal Trade Commission to deny a request by Elon Musk and X seeking relief from an existing law enforcement order related to alleged data privacy violations. California officials argued that granting the request could weaken accountability for data security obligations.
