General Law Committee

JOINT FAVORABLE REPORT

SPONSORS OF BILL:

Rep. Bob Godfrey

REASONS FOR BILL:

Telemarketers often utilize electronic devices to transmit inaccurate or misleading caller identification information, thus hiding their identity from consumers.

SUBSTITUTE LANGUAGE:

The substitute language addresses the concerns raised by the Attorney General at the public hearing regarding a telemarketer's intent to defraud a consumer.

RESPONSE FROM ADMINISTRATION/AGENCY:

Attorney General George Jepsen:

The Attorney General supports this bill. Under existing state law, telephone solicitors are prohibited from “intentionally using a blocking device to circumvent a consumer's caller identification service. However, some solicitors have circumvented the requirement by installing equipment that transmits inaccurate or misleading caller identification information. As a result, consumers are deceived into answering a call they otherwise would avoid”. Additionally, the Department of Consumer Protection and the Attorney General's office are unable to help consumers because there is no way to verify the identity of or otherwise contact such solicitors. The Attorney General recommended that the committee remove the requirement that a solicitor intentionally made a transmission with the intent to defraud (see substitute language).

NATURE AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT:

None submitted.

NATURE AND SOURCES OF OPPOSITION:

None submitted.